SERMON L.

THE UNIVERSAL CHORUS.

REV. v. 13.

[And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and fuch as are in the fea, and all that are in them, heard I, faying,] Bleffing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for

ever and ever.

MEN, have generally agreed, to dignify their prefumptuous and arrogant dif

quifitions on the works and ways of God, with the name of wisdom; though the principles upon which they proceed, and the conclufions which they draw from them, are, for the most part, evident proofs of their depravity and folly: Inftead of admiring the

effects

effects of his wisdom and power in the creation, they have rafhly endeavoured to investigate the manner of its production. A variety of hypothefes have been invented, to account for the formation of the world, and to ftate the laws by which the frame of nature is governed; and thefe different and inconfiftent accounts, have been defended, with a magifterial tone of certainty, and an air of demonftration, by their respective authors, as though they had been by-standers and fpectators, when God spoke all things into being, and produced order out of confufion, by the word of his power. They have, however, been much more fuccefsful in shewing the abfurdity of the schemes propofed by others, tham in reconciling their own, to thẹ fober dictates of plain, common fense.

But, if by indulging their speculations on the creation of the world, the causes of the deluge, and fimilar fubjects, their employment has been no better, than weaving spiders webs; the refult of their reafoning on morals, has been much worse. Here they have, with much induftry, hatched cockatrice eggs*; and their labours have been not only * Ifa, lix. 5.

falla

fallacious, but mifchievous. Their metaphyfical refearches, while they refuse the guidance of revelation, if purfued to their just confequences, will always lead into the labyrinths of fcepticism, weaken the sense of moral obligation, rob the mind of the most powerful motives of right conduct, and of the only confolations, which, can afford it folid fupport, in an hour of trouble. One infuperable difficulty which they will undertake to folve, though it does not properly lie in their way, is concerning the origin of evil. That evil is in the world, is felt and confeffed univerfally. The gofpel points out an effectual method of deliverance from it; but, alas, the fimple and infallible remedy is neglected, and men weary themselves with vain enquiries,

And find no end, in wand'ring mazes loft. The more they reafon, the more they involve themselves in uncertainty and error, till at last they make lies their refuge, and adopt, with implicit credulity, as so many undoubted axioms, opinions, which are equally dishonourable to God, and contradictory to truth and experience *. Thus much

2 Thef. ii. II.

is certain, that by the occafion of evil, the character of God is manifefted, with fuperior glory, to the view of angels and men, who are in a state of holiness and allegiance, and an higher accent is thereby given to their praises. For now his justice and his mercy, which could not have been otherwise known, are revealed in the strongest light; and the redemption of finners, affords the brightest display of his wisdom and love.

10.

The redeemed are reprefented as taking the first part in this fublime fong, verfe 8The angels join in the chorus, verse 11, 12. which now becomes univerfal. All the angels, all the faints upon the earth, in the state of the dead, or hades, whether their bodies are buried under the earth, or in the fea, with one heart, aim and voice, unite in worship and praife. In the preceding verse, Bleffing, and honour, and glory and power, are afcribed unto the Lamb; but here, the afcription is unto Him that fitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. I fhall not add to what I have already obferved to you from the words of the doxology. A few remarks, which offer from this verse, taken in connection with the former, will bring me to a

con

conclufion of the whole subject. And oh! for a coal of fire from the heavenly altar, to warm your hearts and mine, that our love, joy and gratitude may be awakened into lively exercise, and that the close of our meditations on the Meffiah, may leave us deeply impreffed with defires, and well-grounded. hopes, of meeting ere long before the throne, to join, with the angels and the redeemed, in finging the praise of God and the Lamb!

I. The Lord Jefus is not only the head of the church redeemed from among men, but ●f the whole intelligent creation, that is in willing subjection to God. It belonged to his great defign to gather together in one*, (to reduce under one head, as the Greek expreffion is) even in himself, all things that are in heaven, and upon earth. He is the Lord and the life both of angels, and of men. Mutability and dependance are effential to the ftate of creatures, however exalted; and the angels in glory owe, their preservation and confirmation, in holiness and happiness, to him. Hence they are ftyled the elect angelst, in diftinction from thofe who left their first habitation, and funk into fin and + Tim. v. 21.

Eph. i. to.

6

mifery.