is, the glory of God, as it appears in it; the luftre of divine power, wisdom, and grace, which reigns through the whole. The fecond is, the unfpeakable intereft which we have in it, from the danger efcaped on the one hand, and the exalted hopes to which we are raised by it, on the other. I cannot help putting you in mind, that these two things are fo infeparably joined, that none can forget or be infenfible of any one of them, without in reality defpifing both. And as a view of the divine glory feems most immediately calculated to affift and continue a proper worshipping frame, I intend, that this fhall lead the way in our meditations on this occafion. The facrament of the Lord's fupper is called the Eucharist, or facrifice of praife; and therefore very fit for adoring contempla

tion.

The words which I have read are the conclufion of the apoftle Peter's account of the gradual unfolding of this great design of Providence; and they contain a ftriking and extraordinary fentiment, That the angels themselves are filled with a holy curiofity to fearch into the mystery of redemption. Few commentators have failed to obferve, that the word here tranflated to look into, properly fignifies, to stoop or bend down, and examine with the strictest attention. This, my brethren, gives us a very exalted view of the fcheme of redemption, as a leading defign in the government of God, that thefe pure and exalted fpirits, not only adore it as a part of their Creator's will, but that they are loft and fwallowed up in the contemplation of it, and fee fuch a series of wonders, as they are not able to comprehend. If this is fo, let us no longer poftpone the following reflection: How much more are we, the interefted parties, called to adore and dwell on this myftery of love, en which our falvation from deferved wrath, and poffeffion of infinite felicity to all eternity is fufpended! I cannot find a more proper fubject for an introduction to the facred and folemn service of this day; and therefore I beg your attention, while I endeavor, in dependence on divine grace, to illuftrate the affertion in the text, by mentioning fome particulars in the mystery of redemption, which are probably the fubject of adoring

enquiry, and perhaps holy astonishment, to those celestial fpirits. Having done this, I will conclude with fome improvementof the fubject, for affifting you in your preTent duty.

I. FIRST, then, we are to mention thofe circumftances in the mystery of redemption which are probably the fubject of adoring enquiry,, or perhaps holy aftonifhment, to the angels of God. The angels, though they are exalted creatures, are yet plainly of limited capacity. There are many things of which they are ignorant: Matth. xxiv. 36." But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not "the angels of heaven, but my Father only." And as their employment is to be meffengers and ministers of God, with fome inferior agency, in the conduct of his providence; fo it is not to be doubted that much of their happiness confifts in the contemplation of the nature and glory of God, as discovered in his works. They are reprefented in the book of Job as joyful witneffes of the creation and birth of this lower world: Job xxxviii. 6, 7. Whereupon are the foundations thereof faftened? or "who laid the corner-ftone thereof? when the morning"ftars fang together, and all the fons of God fhouted for แ joy." The ftate of the church is also represented as difcovering to them the divine wifdom: Eph. iii. 10. "To "the intent that now unto the principalities and powers "in heavenly places might be known by the church the "manifold wifdom of God."

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Let us therefore confider what circumftances in the mystery of redemption may be fuppofed to ftrike them moft with aftonifhment and wonder. This we cannot do without finding ourselves greatly interested, and called to the deepeft humility, and at the fame time the higheft exercife of gratitude and love. And,

1. The first thing I fhall mention is the incarnation of the Son of God; the union of the divine and human nature, by the Word's being made flefh. This is indeed the first thing to be confidered, both in order and in rank. O wonderful union indeed! Well might the apofile fay, 1 Tim. iii. 16. "Without controverfy, great is the mystery "of godliness: God was manifeft in the flesh, ji ftified in

"the Spirit, feen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, "believed on in the world, received up into glory." But what view muft the angels have of this event? thofe glorious and active beings, who are thus defcribed, Pfal. civ. 4. "Who maketh his angels fpirits, his minifters a flaming "fire." Their knowledge of the nature of God, as a pure and immaculate spirit, as the eternal, uncreated, felf-exiftent Father of Spirits, and of the Son, as one with the Father, who "thought it no robbery to be equal with God," muft deeply aftonifh them at this marvellous humiliation; that he fhould become one perfon with a creature, and that with a creature lower than themselves; for it is expressly faid, that "he was made a little lower than the angels." How aftonihing, that he who is the Lord of angels, and whofe diftance from the highest of all created spirits is not great only, but infinite, fhould become a man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reafonable foul!

It is more than probable from our text, efpecially when compared with the context, and other paffages of fcripture, that this difcovery was made to the angels only gradually, as it was to men. They could not but have intimations of God's purpose of mercy, which was begun and carried on immediately after the fall; this however was done in a manner comparatively dark and obfcure. There have been indeed fome who seem to me to have gone a little beyond their depth; and who have fuppofed, that God difcovered to the angels, even before the creation of man, the fall, which he forefaw, and the method by which he propofed to recover a chofen remnant, viz. the incarnation of his own Son; that the fuperior honor done to an inferior creature, ftirred up the pride and envy of Lucifer, and his affociates; and that in this confifted their guilt and apoftafy, for which they were punished with an immediate banishment from the abodes of blifs, and are now referved in chains under darkness to the day of judgment.

This at beft is but mere conjecture. It feems much more probable that they learned the feveral parts of this great defign of mercy in their gradual accomplishment. It cannot indeed be doubted, that the angels who were concerned in the miniftry of providence, must have known

early of the intended redemption, and the Redeemer. Yet when they are faid, as in the text, to look into the things preached in the gospel, it gives reason to conclude, that the incarnation and fufferings of Chrift was, with regard to them, as well as us, a mystery hid from ages and generations. Now how could thofe holy angels who retained their integrity, but be filled with amazement at the depth of divine councils, when they faw themselves obliged to worship a man, to worship a feeble infant, born in a ftable, and lying in a manger? when they found themselves charged with publishing the glad tidings? as in Luke ii. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14: " And the angel faid unto them, Fear "not for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, "which fhall be to all people. For unto you is born this

day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chrift the "Lord. And this fhall be a fign unto you; Ye fhall find "the babe wrapped in fwaddling-clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multi"tude of the heavenly hoft, praifing God, and faying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men."

There is one circumftance in the incarnation itself, which ought not to be omitted, because it is mentioned in fcripture, and is certainly as astonishing as any, That he was not only made flesh, but fent in the likeness of sinful flesh. What fo oppofite to the nature of God as fin? And what fo furprifing, as that the Son of God, though without fin, yet fhould in all refpects outwardly be like to finners? that he fhould be born of a finner, taken for a finner, treated as a finner, and at laft crucified with the utmost ignominy, as a more than ordinary finner? I doubt not, but those angels who looked with wonder on him in the manger, looked with ftill greater wonder on him on the cross; that the whole hoft of them are confidering this with holy wonder ftill; and that it fhall be the theme of eternal wonder to the innumerable company about the throne. This leads me to obferve,

That another circumftance which muft afford matter for adoring enquiry to the celeftial fpirits, is the fubftitution of an innocent perfon in the room of the guilty'; VOL. I. 3 T

and his fuffering from the hand of God. When man's apoftafy was firft known, I reckon we may affirm with fufficient certainty, that it could not enter into any created mind, that his recovery was poffible. Many are even of opinion, that fome paffages of fcripture carry in them an intimation, that it had been propofed, and as it were a trial made, in the councils of heaven, among affembled angels, whether any remedy could be found for the guilt and apoftafy of man; and that none was found either able or willing to ftand in his room; as in that of the Pfalmift, cited by the apostle to the Hebrews, chap. x. 5, 6, 7. "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, "he faith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body haft thou prepared me : In burnt-offerings "and facrifices for fin, thou haft had no pleasure: Then "faid I, Lo, I come (in the volume of thy book it is writ"ten of me) to do thy will, O God." And in the prophe"cies of Ifaiah, chap. lix. 16. " And he faw that there was "no man, and wondered that there was no interceffor; ແ therefore his arm brought falvation unto him, and his " righteoufnefs, it fuftained him." I will not take upon me to affirm this interpretation of thefe paffages; but the first of them, which is applied by the apoftle to Christ, certainly implies, that he undertook the redemption of finners when other facrifices were found ineffectual.

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Now, my brethren, let us profecute the reflection pointed out by the text. The angels had always hitherto feen innocence and holinefs attended with peace and felicity, and they had feen the apoftate fpirits laid under an irreverfible fentence of condemnation. It is probable they looked upon it as manifeftly founded on the nature of God, that he could not punish the innocent, and that he could not but punish the guilty. What aftonishment then must it have given them, what new views of the boundless fovereignty and unfearchable wisdom of the Most High muft it have opened to them, wher, they heard him faying, "Deliver

him from going down into the pit, I have found a ran"fom! How muft they with wonder dwell on this part of the providence of a wife, holy, juft, and gracious God, that the pure and innocent Jefus, the beloved of the Fa