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"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? those 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 fpirit, as the eternal, uncreated, felfexiftent Father of Spirits, and of the Son, as one with the Father, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God," muft deeply astonish them at this marvellous humiliation; that he should 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 astonishing, that he who is the Lord of angels, and whose distance from the highest of all created fpirits is not great only, but infinite, fhould become a man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable foul!

It is more than probable from our text, especially when compared with the context, and other paffages of fcrip. ture, that this difcovery was made to the angels only gra dually, 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 feem to me to have gone a little beyond their depth; and who have fuppofed, that God discovered to the angels, even before the creation of man, the fall, which he forefaw, and the method by which he proposed to recover a chofen remnant, viz. the incar nation of his own Son; that the fuperior honor done to an inferior creature, flirred up the pride and envy of Lucifer, and his associates; and that in this confifted their guilt and apoftafy, for which they were punished with an immedi ate banishment from the abodes of blifs, and are now referved in chains under darknefs 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 ministry of providence, muft 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 reafon to conclude, that the incarnation and fufferings of Chrift were, with regard to them, as well as to 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 the divine councils, when they faw themfelves 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 publifhing 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, ly"ing in a manger. And fuddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hoft, praising God, and faying, Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace, แ good-will towards men."

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There is one circumftance in the incarnation itself, which ought not to be omitted, because it is mentioned in fcripture, and is certainly as aftonishing 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 furprising, 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 utmoft ignominy, as a more than an ordinary finner? I doubt not, but thofe 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,

2. 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,

I may affirm with enter into any crea Many are even

re carry in them and as it were a

sure among affembled found for the guilt was found either RF in that of the Sebrews, chap. x.

to the world, wt not, but offerings and re: Then faid is written of

sa the prophecies of

there was no

* interceffor;

, and his

rst take upon

The males: but the

tate to Christ, cerSenica of finners

meme te redetion pointmes Vays hitherto feen STARIEN TAIL Dace and felicity, es ac under an irrever

menus a mento It is probable they lookein is mal" prod on the nature of God, that de mould not pun à me morrent, and that he could tout partit me plly Faraonent then mult A tave given ten vist ter views of the boundless koereignty and unferthable wom of the Most High mit have opened to them, when they heard him faying, "Deliver him from going down into the pit, I have found "a raniom!" How muft they with wonder dwell on this part of the providence of a wife, holy, just, and gracious God, that the pure and innocent Jefus, the beloved of the

Father, fhould make his appearance in this lower world, the abode of guilty creatures, under manifeft tokens of their Creator's displeasure! that he should not only enter on the scene in the weakness of infancy, but with every circumftance of meannefs and bafenels! How often must they have been put to a stand, what to think of the feverity and perfecution, the contempt and oppofition which he met with, from those very finners whom he came to fave!

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But above all, how muft they have been at a lofs to comprehend his being expofed, not only to the contempt of man, but to the wrath of God! For "it pleafed the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief." What must have been the furprise of that minifter of providence, who was fent" from heaven to ftrengthen" him, when he found him under an inexpreffible agony of fuffering, making fupplication with strong crying and tears, faying, "Father, if it be poffible, let this cup pafs from me!" And what created fpirit is able to reach the unfathomable meaning of his complaint upon the crofs, " My God, my "God, why haft thou forfaken me?" In the fufferings of an innocent perfon in the room of the guilty, in the sufferings of the well-beloved Son of God from his Father's hand, there is fuch an unfearchable depth, as no finite underflanding is able to comprehend. At first view it seems to contradict the rectitude and holinefs of the divine nature; but on a nearer infpection, there is fuch a ftriking discovery of wisdom, holiness, juftice and mercy, that angels defire with a holy curiosity to contemplate and adore it.

3. As immediately founded upon the former, another circumftance in the plan of redemption through Chrift, which will afford matter of wonder to the celeftial fpirits, is the free juftification of finners, and their acceptance with God, through the imputed righteousness of Christ. If it appears aftonishing, that God, who diftributes favor and punishment with the most perfect equity, fhould punifh the innocent, it appears equally fo, that he fhould fhew favor to the guilty; that he fhould forgive their fins, accept their perfons, and vifit them with his loving-kind nefs, and all this for the merit and obedience of another. What! (may it be faid,) is he not unchangeably holy!

Is he not of purer eyes than to behold iniquity? Are we not affured that evil cannot dwell with him, nor finners ftand in his prefence? How fhall he receive into his favor thefe offending rebels? how fhall he take into his bofom fuch polluted wretches? And what can be the meaning of imputation? Can perfonal worth be transferred? Can he commit fo great an error, as to view them with compla cency for the merit of another?

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Muft not this appear a new and extraordinary plan to the angels, who, by perfonal and perfect obedience, retain the favor of their Creator, and who had been hitherto ftrangers to the influence and interceffion of a mediator? who had feen no fuch thing take place when their brethren had finned? Heb. ii. 16. "For verily he took not on him "the nature of angels, but he took on him the feed of "Abraham." The holy angels, not inclined to fay, as more prefumptuous men too often do, " Let us continue in fin, that grace may abound," will rather fay," Let us ftep afide, and fee this great fight." They will then fee, that there is no way more proper for maintaining the dig nity of the divine government: nay, that it is the only way by which those who have been finners can be received into favor. They will fee and confefs, that there is no circumftance whatever that tends more to level the pride of the finner's heart, and bring him to univerfal fubmission, and absolute subjection to the fovereignty of God. I am perfuaded, indeed, that even angels who never finned, have more of fubmiffion to the divine fovereignty, and dependance on the absolute grace of their Creator, than many are apt to imagine; yet furely our world is the great theatre of divine grace. The fame infinite benignity which fhews itself in heaven, in favor to the worthy, is difplayed on earth, to the aftonifhment of heaven itself, in mercy to the guilty.

Suffer me, my brethren, to embrace this opportunity of observing, that nothing is more groundless than the accufation of men of corrupt minds, against the doctrine of divine grace, as encouraging to fin. It hath the very contrary effect, and that on these two accounts.