be dead or alive *; and ask them with a taunt, What is your Beloved more than another beloved? they are not afhamed, for they know whom they have believed; and if men will not join with them in admiring and praising him, they are fure that they have the concurrence of far fuperior beings. By faith they behold him feated upon a throne of glory, adored by all holy and happy intelligent creatures, whether angels, principalities, powers or dominions. And when he was upon earth, in a state of humiliation, though despised and rejected of men, he was feen and acknowledged by angels. Their warrant and ours is the fame. He is proposed to us, as the object of our fupreme love and dependance; and as we are enjoined to kiss the Son and to pay him homage, fo when God brought him into the world, he faid, Let all the angels of God worship him.

Though the bringing MESSIAH, the first, or only begotten into the world, may, as I have obferved already, be applied to his incarnation, or to his refurrection, I apprehend it rather designs the whole of his exhibition in

holy Spirit, and training up in the life
faith and holinefs, known and dear to G
tho' they have little advantage from pu'
ordinances, and perhaps no opportunit
converfing with those who are like-mi
with themselves. But even though the nu
of those who vifibly profefs the gofpel
grace of God were much smaller than it
need not be disheartened. If our fight
pierce into the invifible world, we fhe
fatisfied that there are more with v
against us. And fuch a power is att
It is the evidence of thi
feen †, because it receives the testir
fcripture, and refts upon it, as a certai
a demonstration; requiring no oth
either of doctrines or facts, than 1
are contained in the fure word
True chriftians therefore are com
the affurance they have that thei
the Lord of their

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crowns at his fented as joinpraises, faying is the Lamb that and riches, and honour and glory, he is the Lord of t waited upon him, his birth, Angels e wilderness . And ervants, that at his

command, they are fent forth to minifter unto, and to attend upon his believing people. Are they not all miniftering [XEITOUPIHα worshipping] Spirits *, adoring the divine Majefty, yet fent forth to minister [εis dianoviav to the service] to the heirs of falvation. He is likewife the head of angels. Though they are not in the fame near relation to him, as the finners whom he has redeemed with his blood; for he took on him their nature. There was no redemption appointed for the angels who kept not their first habitation. But the confirmation of those who continue in holiness and happiness, is in and through him. For all things both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, are gathered together in one [ανακεφαλαιωσασθαι, reduced under one head into one body] in him †. And they are therefore ftyled in contradiftinction from the others, The elect angels ‡. He is their life, and strength, and joy, as he is ours, though they cannot fing the whole fong of his people. It is appropriate to the faved f n amongst men to fay, This God fhines ous in our nature, he loved us, and gave

Here then, as I have intimated, is a pattern and encouragement for us. The angels, the whole host of heaven, worship him. Hẹ is Lord of all. We in this diftant world have heard the report of his glory, have felt our need of fuch a Saviour, and are, in some degree, witnesses and proofs of his ability and willingness to fave. He lived, he died, he arofe, he reigns for us. Therefore humbly depending upon his promised grace, without which we can do nothing, we are refolved, that whatever others do, we muft, we will worship him, with the utmost powers of our fouls. It is our determination and our choice, not only to praife and honour him with our lips, but to devote ourselves to his fervice, to yield ourselves to his dif pofal, to entrust our all to his care, and to place our whole happiness in his favour. I hope, in fpeaking thus, I fpeak the language of many of your hearts.

Some reflections eafily offer from this subject, with which I fhall close it,

1. They who love him, may rejoice in the thoughts of his glory. They have deeply fympathized with him, when reading the hiftory of his humiliation and paffion,