THE NEW EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE, AND Theological Review. DECEMBER, 1815. Psal. lxxxix. 19. SERMON II. and of woe; laying the sacred foundation of the glorious edifice of the church in an eternal covenant, to be ratified by the blood of Christ, andsecured by the energies of the Holy Spirit. They describe the accomplishment of that work with exactness and accuracy; they trace its progress through all succeeding ages, and at length put the finishing strokes to it in the eternal destruction of Satan's kingdom, and the everlasting joy and glory of the ransomed among men. Such are the topics of these two inspired servants of God. They speak of them in such a manner as to lead us at times to imagine that we read the account of the historian, and not the prediction of the prophet; or that we hear the language of the Master instead of that of the servant. Thus in the words of my text we have an account of the origin of man's salvation, and a description of the Saviour in language truly grand and majesticI have laid help upon one that is I have laid help upon one that is mighty! THE testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Take Him from the writings of the prophets, and they contain a heap of dark sayings and unintelligible mysteries; but with the eye of faith directed towards Him, we may read every part with pleasing wonder and delightful information. He is the sun by whose light the shadows of darkness are dispelled, and a bright lustre diffused over every object contained in the writings of the Old Testament. He was the joy of patriarchs, the subject of the prophet's song; the glory of the martyrs, and the hope of believers in every age. In the prospect of his incarnation, Abraham, the father of the faithful, rejoiced; and of him Moses and all the prophets did write. Of these, two seem in a particular manner to speak in most clear and explicit language concerning him. I mean David and Isaiah. They speak minutely of his person and of his work; the origin, necessity, and effects of his surety-mighty! ship. They both look back into the council of eternity, when Jehovah lived self-dependent and self-happy in the mysterious union of Father, Word, and Holy Spirit-to. open the vast designs of his infinite Let us consider, I. The glorious Being who speaks these words. II. The great Deliverer referred III. The gracious consequences Mind to save man, fallen by trans-resulting from his appointment. gression into the depths of misery VOL. I. 1. The glorious Being who speaks 2 Z these words. "I have laid help on one that is mighty.' even unassisted by the light which emanates from the volume of revelation. No: it is scarcely possible for us to know, whether in this state, corrupted and darkened as it is by the fall, reason can yield any kind of information, or open any clue to guide our feet into the path of knowledge with respect to salvation; for "the world by wisdom knew not God." Therefore I refer not to it in its rude and unassisted state. When I said that reason would lead us to conclude that salvation was of the Lord, I meant, that when the true statement of man's character was brought forward to view, when the necessary prerequisites were considered, and the wonderful plan formed for its accomplishment, then the voice of reason must decide, that the whole glory of the work, from first to last, is due to God, and to God alone. Because man had by sin robbed himself of all power to perform that which is acceptable to God; was averse to that which is good, And who speaks these words? Is it David or some other man? No: a greater than David is here. He was only the medium of conveying the gracious declaration to us, for he spake as he was moved by the Holy Ghost, and therefore these words are to be considered as the language of Him who is the great Sovereign of the universe, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, by whom kings reign and princes decree justice. But will this adorable Being deign to address words of peace to us the creatures of his power, formed from the dust of the earth, and nourished by its productions; yea the presumptuous rebels against his government the hardened transgressors of his laws? Surely if He condescend to address us, his language must be that of wrath, designed to awe us into submission, or drive us into misery! Guilty mortals might well have reasoned thus with themselves, for never was there such base in-prone to that which is evil, and gratitude displayed; never was there such bold presumption manifested, as in the rebellion of man against God. But he remembers that we are but dust; he bears with our rebellion; and, instead of annihilating the whole of our race, he speaks the language of mercy, provides a Saviour, and lays help upon one that is mighty! Give ear, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth, for the Lord has done it! he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David; he has visited and re deemed his people Israel. For thus saith Jehovah, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty!" under sentence of condemnation, exposed to the wrath of incensed justice, and fitting himself by his conduct for the regions of endless woe. Surely then in him there was no strength, from him there was no expectation! And as these are the conclusions of reason, impartial reason, drawn from an attentive consideration of the state of man by transgression, so the sacred Scriptures are filled with declarations to this effect. God, who is jealous of his own glory, and wilk not give it to another, has been careful so to mark out the origin of this inestimable blessing, that he who runs may read, and a wayfaring man though a fool may not rr therein. "Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom." Job, xxxiii. 24. Whatever might be the thoughts of men on the subject, it is certain both from reason and from Scripture that "salvation is of the Lord." When I speak of the evi- Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundence arising from reason on this dation a stone, a tried stone, a all-important subject, I mean not precious corner stone, a sure founto refer to it in its lowest state, or dation." Isa. xxviii. 13. To the enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Gen. iii. 15. "For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Heb. ii. 10. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John iv. 10. "I have laid help upon one that is mighty!" And in this we see the serpent also HE said, "I will put | Ah, your holy souls burn with zeal for God's glory; you love every manifestation of his perfection and delight in every worshipper of him. But never did it enter your holy breasts, that man, having sinned, might be loved and spared in con-` nection with God's glory, till the plan was opened to you-till the mighty design formed in the infinite mind of Jehovah was revealed to you. Your thoughts were agitated with concern for his honour; your hearts burned with holy indignation at man's ingratitude, and you were ready to say, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not avenge thy law on them that dwell on the earth!" Such love as this could never have entered into your hearts, for ye are creatures, and this is not created love; it is godlike, it is divine. To angels as well as to men Jehovah might truly say, My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isa. lv. 8, 9. exercise, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty!" Who speaks this? It is God, and by it he displays, 1. Of astonishing love to man. God is love, and every act of his government towards us is marked with kindness and with love. Man indeed seems to have been singled out by the great Creator as an object in whom he might display the wonders of his love, the depth of his compassion, and the riches of his grace. To this thought the apostle leads us when he addresses the believing Ephesians in these words, "And hath raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus." 2. Infinite wisdom. If at the Eph. i. 6, 7. How great must that time man became a prey to the love be which could devise a me- ensnaring temptations of Satan thod of salvation for such rebels and fell beneath his wiles, the as we are. What condescension angels of heaven had been sumcan equal that which deigned to moned around the throne of God, regard the reptiles of earth, when and addressed in some such lanjustly excluded from every ray of guage as this, "Ye ministering hope, and from, every degree of spirits, who always behold my happiness! What grace, to spare face, who delight to do my will, the execution of the threatening and burn with pure and holy zeal denounced against transgression-for the honour of my governmentstop the thunderbolts of wrath from pursuing the sinner-keep back the flaming sword of justice from cutting him down, and consigning the wretch, as an enemy of God, to everlasting burnings! Angels, could ye display such love -such compassion-such grace? the glory of my perfections, Lo man, the creature whom I lately formed to shew forth my glory, and placed in a garden of delights on earth below, surrounded with every comfort-possessed of every capacity suited to his nature, has been tempted and drawn aside by iii. 8, 9, 10. This is that wisdom which overcomes every obstacle, removes every barrier, and provides every requisite for the salvation of man and the glory of God. Therefore angels sang, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good-will towards man.” Luke ii. 13, 14. "I have laid help upon one that is mighty!"This is the language of God, and by it he proclaims, Lucifer, whom I banished from | powers in the heavenly places these blissful realms down to the might be known by the church the shades of night. He has sinned manifold wisdom of God." Eph. against the command which I gave him as the test of obedience, and thus incurred the penalty which I threatened, even death. See the yearnings of my bowels are kindled towards him. I delight not in the death of the sinner, but would rather that he should turn from his evil ways and live. Come then, ye tried, ye faithful, ye chosen servants, unite your counsels, and devise a plan, whereby the rights of justice, the demands of the 3. The inflexibility of justice. law, the honour of my government, The heart of God was set upon and the glory of my perfections saving man, but his nature remight be misplayed, and yet the volted at sin, and justice would rebel man be saved." Could they, not permit it to go unpunished. think you, have found out a way In no part of his dominions can of salvation? Ah no: all heaven sin be committed without punishwould have kept silence for ever. ment. In heaven sin once apThe thought was too big for finite peared among the angels around wisdom. It required that which the throne. Justice did not perwas infinite. The gospel, which mit it there to remain. O no: it reveals this plan, is the wisdom of was quickly banished thence, with' God in a mystery, for it displays all its perpetrators. It is now comthe manifold wisdom of God de-mitted hourly in hell, and therevising a method whereby he might fore hourly it is punished; and as be just and yet the justifier of the sin will ever reign there, so punishungodly. Hence the apostle says,ment of the wicked must ever be "Now to him that is of power experienced there-" Verily they to stablish you according to my shall not come out thence until gospel, and the preaching of Jesus they have paid the uttermost Christ, according to the revelation farthing." Sin also has been comof the mystery, which was kept mitted on earth; it has been secret since the world began, but punished here too. The earth is now is made manifest, and by the accursed for its sake; it brings scriptures of the prophets, accord-forth briars, thorns also and thising to the commandment of the tles, to vex and torment the sinner everlasting God, made known to here, preparatory only to greater all nations for the obedience of faith." Rom. xvi. 25, 26. And again, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men, see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and torments hereafter, if justice be not satisfied, for God will not clear the guilty. But, hark! Jehovah speaks!" I have laid help upon one that is mighty!" In him mercy and truth shall meet together, righteousness and peace hall sembrace each other; truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Here justice and mercy triumph together. Did the justice of God appear in hurling the angels whe with a word. These were deeds of might which none but the arm of Omnipotence could achieve; which no authority but that of Deity could accomplish. But we refer not at present to the miraculous exertions of power displayed in this way; we refer to his works wrought out on purpose to effect the salvation of his people. And here we see that he is mighty to form every requisite deed. Was wrath to be appeased? He shed his blood to pacify it. Was justice to be satisfied? He died, the just for the unjust, to bring sinners unto God. Was the law to be obeyed? He submitted to all its demands, and yielded a perfect magnified the law and made it honourable; he has wrought out and brought in an everlasting righteousness, which is unto all and upon all them that believe. Was the head of the serpent to be bruised, and his power destroyed? He has "led captivity captive." In a word, he has, by his obedience, sufferings, and death, secured the honour of God-triumphed over the enemies of man, and is thus able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God through him. It will appear, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty!" To whom this cha-surmount every difficulty, and perracter is to be applied, it is not difficult to be ascertained. The sacred Scriptures are so clear and express in the information which they give concerning him, that it is impossible to be mistaken. We need not always have the name of this Saviour mentioned before we can find him out in the word of obedience to every precept; he God. No: tell us the character, the deeds, the perferfections, or the language of this great Redeemer, and we quickly perceive who it is. There is none like unto Him in the heavens above or on the earth beneath. In every thing connected with Him there is a certain something which marks him out as superior to all others, and renders it impossible to be mistaken in him. He then that is mighty is the Lord Jesus Christ-the Mediator of the covenant of peace-the Holy One of Israel, who undertook our cause, and effected our ransom. He himself claims the character, when he answers the question, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”、 Isaiah lxiii. 1. The fitness of this character will appear, 1. From the deeds he has performed. On earth he did many wondrous works, as testimonials of his messiahship; such as turning water into wine; feeding thousands with a few small loaves and fishes; restoring sight to the blind; giving feet to the lame; raising the dead to life; and calming the raging sea 2. From the triumphs which he gained. Frequently is he represented in the sacred Scriptures as a conqueror, clothed in the garments of a victorious warrior. Thus the prophet Isaiah, in the passage already quoted-"Who is this that cometh from Edom," &c. Isa. lxiii. 1. He vanquished all the spiritual enemies of his people. By the despised weapon of his cross he bruised the head of the old serpent the Devil. Even in death, which conquers all men, he shewed himself an almighty conqueror, and obtained a victory the most decisive over him who had the power of death. By his ignominious crucifixion he gave all |