speak a word in season-to the legalist and selfjusticiary, the rich and increased in goods, or such as apprehend that they are more holy than others, or to the penitent; but, the Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary!

2. This gracious declaration implies that all the Persons of the Godhead are concerned about the weary, and had their case under consideration from all eternity. Christ is evidently concerned. He is the great speaker, and is qualified with the tongue of the learned. He it was who immediately conducted Israel out of Egypt, wrought wonders for them in the wilderness, and introduced them into the land of promise. He satiated every weary and sorrowful soul, and turned their sadness into joy. All the saints under the Old Testament bear testimony to his gracious condescension and support under their pressures. When in this world, his attendants commonly were the poor in spirit and the weary. If crowds gathered about him, it was to see his wonders, or eat of his loaves. The blind and lame, the deaf and diseased, the dejected and the demoniacs, had business of far greater importance. Now in his exalted state, his condescension is not lessened, and the weary of every description should still apply. He is among them as one that serveth. The Holy Spirit was given to him above measure. He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. The tongue of the learned, including gifts and graces, and every requisite qualification, Christ received from the Holy Ghost. Thus he said, Isaiah Ixi. 1-3," The Spirit

of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness ;" and all these gracious influences he communicates to his people according to their necessities. While Christ was furnished with every requisite qualification immediately by the Spirit, it was by the appointment of Jehovah the Father. He set him up from everlasting. He established him in the great office of Mediator. From the Father he received all the souls to whom he was to speak a word in season. The Messiah always asserted the will of his Father in his mission, both in the prophecies of the Old Testament, and his history in the New. He said, Psal. xl. 6, Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened; or as quoted by the apostle, Heb. x. 5, A body hast thou prepared me. He invariably spake of himself in the days of his flesh, as sent and sealed by his Father.

The case of the weary was on the heart of these three Persons from all eternity; and every thing about their situation was adjusted. It was fixed irreversibly, how, where, and when, they should feel themselves weary; and the words in season which Christ should speak were likewise determined. From eter

nity the very moment was settled when they should be in a case similar to that of the prodigal, when he thought of returning, and when they should find themselves in weariness and want. Then too it was fixed who should be the under-speaker, and what his subject; where it should be delivered, and on what occasion. And the purpose of the Lord shall stand. The stoutest self-justiciary, and all the herd of infidels, with all the cruelties of persecution, can neither stop, alter, or protract the efficacy of the tongue of the learned for a single moment. Providence brings the person to the place; the Holy Ghost puts him into the case of the weary, and then Christ speaks a word in season. Then shall the prey be taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered! Little do the weary think that their extremity is the opportunity, fixed from eternity, to speak a word in season, and for which Christ has been waiting that he may be gracious. Did he speak sooner, he would seem as one that mocketh. Did he wait longer, the weary soul would sink beneath the stream.

3. It imports that our Emmanuel has all the qualifications requisite for relieving weary souls, and that his human nature, with all its furniture, was given him for this end, in subordination to the glory of God. He is the true God. As a divine person he knows the case of the weary. When they attempt to open their condition to a fellow-creature, however dear, the face of the listening friend often discovers that he cannot comprehend the complaint. There is a something which he cannot conceive. Nor can it be otherwise, when the weary themselves are unable

to express it, supposing the friend to have been in a similar situation; still, as in human faces, there is a distinguishing feature in every case, which diversifies it from all others. Thus the most sympathizing friends know the outlines only, or general condition; but God understands the secrets of the heart. The Lord Jesus made up all the ingredients in the cup which makes them weary. He mingled them, and made them drink it in the proper season. Thus he cannot but know how to deliver, and speak a word in season.

He is man. In his human nature he knows, in experience, what it is to be weary. Though he had not experience of the power and pollution of sin, he felt something corresponding when his holy soul was tempted. He actually experienced the other pressures of the weary, being in all points tempted like as they are. He bare the guilt of sin in his own body on the tree. He poured out his soul. He was hungry and destitute, and had no where to lay his head. He could scarcely refresh himself with a sound sleep without being overtaken by a tempest from the natural elements, or the still more violent storm of persecution. Like strong bulls of Bashan, his enemies compassed his death, with unrelenting fury. Forty weary days was he tempted of the devil in the wilderness, and was assailed with innumerable other attacks of shorter duration. He severely felt the pressure of outward distress, when he said, I may tell all my bones; and cried, I thirst. His Father put the cup of wrath into his hand, and he drank the bitter dregs. He well knew the painful trial of de

sertion, when he cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring! O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent." He had trial of cruel mocking. "He was a worm and no man, a reproach of men and despised by the people; and all who saw him laughed him to scorn." At last he died, the cursed and ignominious death of the cross. In an unequalled manner, he learned obedience by the things which he suffered; and experimentally knows how to succour them that are tempted. Never could any with equal propriety say,

"And touch'd with miseries myself have known,
I view, with pity, woes so like my own."

4. More particularly, Christ's having the tongue of the learned implies, that what he says must be very comforting in its own nature.

Addressing the weary, should the speaker be ever so learned, and charm ever so wisely, it would be to no purpose, unless the message be comfortable. But surely He must speak consolation himself, who gave that charge to his servants, Isaiah xl. 1, 2, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received at the Lord's hand double for all her sins." The Lord Jesus assures us that his message is most comfortable, when, as already quoted, he declared, Isaiah Ixi. 1, that he was anointed to preach GOOD TIDINGS. This was the pas