after all, are much more uncertain than important. We need not dispute, whether Job, in this paffage, profeffes his affurance of the incarnation of MESSIAH, or of his resurrection, or of his final appearance to judge the world; or whether he is only declaring his own personal faith and hope in him. These feveral fenfes are not fo difcordant, that if we determine for one, we must exclude the reft. I shall content myself with the words as I find them. And I hope, that if we fhould miss some of the precife ideas, which Job might have when he spoke, we shall not greatly mistake his general meaning, nor wander far wide from the scope of the text. Four things are obfervable, I. The title of Redeemer. II. The appropriating word, My. IV. Job's expectation of seeing him in his flesh. I. The title. There is no name of MESSIAH more fignificant, comprehensive, or endearing, than the name REDEEMER. The name of Saviour expreffes what he does for finners. He faves them from guilt and wrath, from fin, from the prefent evil world, from the powers of darknefs, and from all their enemies. He faves them with an everlafting falvation. But the word Redeemer, intimates, likewife, the manner in which he faves them. For it is not merely by the word of his power, as he faved his disciples when in jeopardy upon the lake, by saying to the winds and the feas, Peace, be fill: and there was a great calm*; but by price, by paying a ransom for them, and pouring out the blood of his heart, as an atonement for their fins. The Hebrew word for Redeemer, Goel, primarily fignifies, a near kinfman, or the next of kin. He with whom the right of redemption lay; and who, by virtue of his nearness of relation, was the legal avenger of blood. Thus MESSIAH took upon him our nature, and by affuming our flesh and blood, became nearly related to us, that he might redeem our forfeited inheritance, reftore us to liberty, and avenge our cause against Satan, the enemy, and murderer of our fouls. But thus he made himself also refponfible for us, to pay our debts, and to anfwer the demands of the justice and law of + Numb. xxxv. 19, 21. Ruth * Mark iv. 39. iv. 1-3. God God, on our behalf. He fulfilled his engage ment. He fuffered, and he died on this account. But our Redeemer who was once dead, is now alive, and liveth for evermore, and has the keys of death, and of hades *. This is he of whom Job faith, I know that he liveth (was then living) though he was not to ftand upon the earth, until the latter day. He is the living One, having life in himself, the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever†. Such was his own language to the Jews, Before Abraham was, I am ‡. Therefore, the Redeemer is mighty, and his redemption is fure. He is able to fave to the uttermoft. His power is unlimited, and his official authority, as Mediator, is founded in a covenant, ratified by his own blood, and by the oath of the unchangeable God ||. II. But Job uses the language of appropriation. He fays, My Redeemer. And all that we know, or hear or speak of him, will avail us but little, unless we are really and perfonally interested in him, as Our Redeemer. A cold fpeculative knowledge of the gospel, fuch as a lawyer has of a will, or a deed, which he reads, with no farther de* Rev. i. 18. + Heb. xiii. 8. + John viii. 58. PL. cx. 4. fign, than to understand the tenor and import of the writing, will neither fave, nor comfort the foul. The believer reads it, as the will is read by the heir, who finds his own name in it, and is warranted by it, to call the eftate, and all the particulars fpecified, his own. He appropriates the privileges to himfelf, and fays, The promises are mine, the pardon, the peace, the heaven, of which I read, are all mine. This is the will and teftament of the Redeemer, of my Redeemer. The great Teftator remembered me in his will, which is confirmed, and rendered valid by his death*, and therefore, I humbly claim, and affuredly expect, the benefit of all that he has bequeathed. But how fhall we obtain this comfortable perfuafion, and preserve it against all the cavils of our enemies, who will endeavour to litigate our right? I seem to have before me a proper occafion of difcuffing a point, very important, and by too many misunderstood; I mean, the nature of that affurance of hope, which the scripture fpeaks of as attainable, which has been happily experienced by many believers, and which all are exhorted and encouraged to Heb. ix. 16. feek feek after, in the methods of God's appointment. But my plan will only permit me to offer a few brief hints upon the subject. 1. Many refpectable writers and preachers, have confidered this affurance, as effential to true faith. But we have the scripture in our hands, and are not bound to abide by the decifions of any man, farther than as they agree with this ftandard. The most eminent properties, or effects afcribed to faith, are, that it works by love*, purifies the heart †, and overcomes the world. I think it cannot eafily be denied, by those who are competent judges in the cafe, that there are perfons to be found, who give these evidences that they are believers, and yet are far from the poffeffion of an abiding assurance. They hope they love the Lord, but, there is fuch a difproportion, between the fenfible exercise of their love, and the conviction they have of their obligations to him, that they are often afraid they do not love him fupremely ; and if not, they know, that in the scriptural sense, they do not love him at all. They can fay from their hearts, that they him, but they dare not go * Gal. v. 6. † A&s xv. 9. defire to love farther. But ‡ 1 John v. 4. there |