The glorious Person, who in the Scriptures is designated by the appellation, o Aoyos y ex, or the Word of God, In the beginning created the heavens and the earth; and said, Let there be light, and there was light; Let there be a firmament, and there was a firmament. His hand also lighted up the flame of the sun, and kindled the stars. He upholds the Universe by the word of his power; and preserves order and regularity throughout all the parts of this amazing system.

In the Heavens he shines with inexpressible splendour. On the earth he lives, and works, provides and sustains, and satisfies the wants of every living thing. Throughout immensity, He quickens into life, action, and enjoyment, the innumerable multitudes of Intelligent beings. The universe, which he made, he also governs. The worlds, of which it is composed, he rolls through the infinite expanse with an Almighty and unwearied hand; and preserves them in their respective places, and motions, with unerring harmony. From the vast store-house of his bounty he feeds, and clothes, the endless millions, whom his hand has made; and from the riches of his own unchangeable Mind informs the innumerable host of Intelligent creatures with everimproving virtue, dignity, and glory. To all these he allots the respective parts, which they are qualified to act in the boundless system of good, which his wisdom contrived, and his power has begun to execute; furnishes them with the means of being useful in his eternal kingdom; and thus prepares them to be amiable and excellent in his sight, and instruments of perpetually increasing good to each other.

At the head of this great kingdom he sits upon a throne high and lifted up, far exalted above all heavens; surveys with an intuitive view, and with divine complacency, the amazing work which his voice has called into being; and beholds it increasing without intermission in happiness, wisdom, and virtue, and advancing, with a regular progress, towards consummate glory and perfection.

Although he is not worshipped, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth unto all life, and breath, and all things; Yet before him Angels bow and veil their faces. The four Living ones rest not day nor night, crying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almigh

ty, who wast, and who art, and who art to come. And the whole multitude of the heavenly host, the number of whom is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, unite in the everlasting song, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.

From this stupendous height of greatness and enjoyment, this Divine Person, passing all the bounds between GoD and Man, between the Infinite Mind and lifeless matter, united himself to man who is but a worm; assumed to himself a human soul, and a human body; and in a manner, incomprehensible by us, and not improbably by all other creatures, became thenceforth God-Man, inseparably united in one most wonderful and mysterious Person.

Of this singular act the end was not less glorious, than the act itself was amazing. It was to save a race of rebellious creatures, whom he needed not, from misery and ruin; of creatures, whom with a word he could have returned to their original nothing, and whose places with another word he could have filled with equal or greater numbers, at his pleasure; all obedient, faithful, and happy. I shall not, however, dwell on this subject at the present time. Occasions still more appropriate will hereafter bring it up to view. The single point, on which I would now insist, is the infinite condescension of Christ. This glorious person humbles himself, to behold the things, which are done under the sun.

How much more when he came from his high and holy place to dwell beneath that sun, and take up his residence on his foot-stool! All this, however, he was pleased to do. He emptied himself, took upon himself the form of a servant, and was born in the likeness of men.

What were the views, which Angels formed of this new and astonishing event? Easily may we imagine, that all Heaven was lost in wonder, and buried in silence, to behold this transition from infinite glory to supreme humiliation, from the throne of the Universe to a tenement of clay. How instinctively ought we, uniting with Angels in the same views and the same emotions, to behold, wonder, and adore!

2dly. What a pattern of condescension is here set before us for our imitation. St. Paul makes this practical use of the doctrine

under consideration. Let the same mind be in you, says he to the Philippians, which was also in Christ.

Condescension is here enforced on the race of man with an authority, and example, literally infinite. The divine Wisdom dictated the condescension of Christ; and the divine Goodness carried it into execution. In it we see the manner, in which the Infinite Mind is pleased to act; and which boundless Excellence approves, and loves. This, then, is a character and conduct, to which we are urged by the highest of all considerations, the approbation, and example, of God. Would we, then, be like God; would we be perfect as He is perfect; would we obtain his approbation; would we inherit the blessings, which He confers on those, who arc approved by him, would we become really excellent and lovely; we shall give all diligence, that the same mind may be in us, which was also in Christ. We shall condescend to men of low degree; be meek and lowly of heart; be satisfied with humble stations, offices, and employments; and feel, that no human interest is beneath our notice, and no human business unfit for us to perform, when we are called to perform it, and when others by the performance can be relieved, disposed to virtue, or made happy.

But how different is the usual conduct, and the prevailing character, of Man. All men sigh to be rich; and none are contented with humble circumstances. All men pant to be great; and none are satisfied with a lowly condition. The rich despise the poor; great trample on the small. When we become rich, we sigh for additional riches. When we become great, we toil, and watch, and weary ourselves through life, to become greater. All, beneath us in these mere accidents, we overlook, contemn, insult, and stile the dirt and scum of the earth.

Christ, on the contrary, became, voluntarily, not only a man, but a poor man; a lowly man; the son of a carpenter; humble in his station; without place, or power, or wealth; and perfectly satisfied to be without them all. His friends, his disciples, his Apostles, were selected from the poor and lowly; and he alleged it as one unanswerable proof of his Messiahship, that by him the poor had the Gospel preached unto them. This was the character of Him, whom Angels worship, and whom the Universe obeys.

Christ descended to these lowly men, and to these humble circumstances, from the throne of the heavens. Shall not we, then, be willing to let ourselves down from the side, or even the summit, of our mole-hill, to visit our fellow-emmets at the bottom? How small the descent at the utmost? How silly, how base, how contradictory to common sense, the pride, which refuses to make it?

Often, very often, the men, whom we despise as greatly beneath us, are better, wiser, and more excellent in the sight of God, than ourselves. Always we are odious to him, and contemptible in the eye of Reason, for this very pride. Let every proud man, then, feel, that for this very character, which he so fondly cherishes, he is hateful in the sight of God, and justly contemptible in that of men; that the character, which he despises, is the very character in which Christ chose to appear; and that the men, whom he treats with abuse and insolence, are of that very class, out of which Christ selected his friends and Apostles.

SERMON XLIII.

COVENANT OF REDEMPTION.

ISAIAH liii. 10-12.

When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

"If his soul shall make a propitiatory sacrifice, he shall see a seed, which shall prolong their days; and the gracious purpose of JɛHOVAH shall prosper in his hands. Of the travail of his soul he shall see (the fruit) and be satisfied: by the knowledge of him shall my Servant justify many; for the punishment of their iniquities he shall bear. Therefore will I distribute to him the many for his portion; and the mighty people shall he share for his spoil: because he poured out his Soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: and he bare the sin of many; and made intercession for the transgressors."

LOWTH.

In the first chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul declares, that God hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation