itself, with progressive clearness and lustre, throughout every part of the believer's journey, and in every step he takes from earth to heaven! Such happiness doth that soul enjoy, upon whom the "Sun of Righteousness ariseth, with healing in his wings;" whom the dayspring from on high hath visited, giving light to him that sitteth in darkness. (verse 19; Eph. iv. 18; Isa. lix. 7.) On the other hand, "The path of the just," &c.

Consider,

I. The character of the just.'

It is not in a legal, but in an evangelical sense, that any of Adam's fallen posterity can be styled just (Ec. vii. 20;) such, therefore, as are just, are made so by grace. They become sensible of the wrongs and injuries they have done to God; by divine illumination they see that attempts to make restitution are unavailing; that it is through him alone, who "suffered the just for the unjust," that their debt of sin and punishment can be cancelled; hence, renouncing all dependence on themselves, and depending on Christ alone, they are justified. Acts xiii. 39.

II. Survey the path of the just.

Before the Captain of Salvation pointed out and led the way, there was no path to heaven, (Ps. cxviii. 19; John xiv. 6,) and now we are emboldened to "enter into the holiest." Heb. x. 19, 20.

1. He hath marked the path in which the just are to tread; they are not to walk at random, or pursue their own foolish inventions. Prov. iv. 25-27; 1 Peter ii. 21. 2. It is a plain path. Isa. xxxv. 8.

3. This is a path that lies much up-hill; there is no avoiding this; we must not attempt to turn aside. Matt. xvi. 24, 25; Luke xiv. 26, 27; Matt. vii. 14.

4. It is a safe path. To prevent wandering, the traveller hath a map of the country put into his hand, with every thing accurately inserted; also a heavenly guide, who whispers to him in the hour of danger. Isa. xxx. 21.

5. There are proper stages all along the path, for weary travellers to refresh themselves. Isa xl. 31.

6. Those who tread in this path are going forward to the city of habitations. (Heb. x. 38, 39.) They are all pilgrims.

7. This is a path in which they who take the morning VOL. II.

Y

of life, and set out early, generally have the most pleasant journey. Prov. viii. 17; Jer. ii. 2.

III. The progress which the just make is properly com pared to the morning and shining light, that shineth more and more.

1. Light is entirely the work of God. It is he who at first said, "Let there be light;" who commanded light to shine out of darkness. 2 Cor. iv. 6.

2. The light breaketh gradually, and, from its first appearances till noon-day, advanceth and increaseth towards meridian lustre. How justly in this view, is the path of the just compared to the morning and the shining light; in such a gradual and imperceptible manner doth the day of grace sometimes display itself. (Luke xiii. 20; Matt. xiii. 31-33.) Many other passages represent the righteous as going from strength to strength. Ps. lxxxiv. 7; xcii. 12-14; Mal. iv. 2; Job xvii. 6; Hosea xiv. 5.

3. The path of the just is fitly compared to light, for the pleasure it yields to those who tread it. (Ec. xi. 7.) What the queen of Sheba said of Solomon, is much more applicable to Christ and this path. 1 Kings x. 7; 2 Cor. iii. 18.

4. As it is eyesight that enables us to behold the natural light, so the Lord not only prescribes the path of the just, but gives them spiritual discernment to walk in it; it is this that gives such weight to our Lord's declarations. John xv. 22-24; Luke xii. 47, 48.

5. But though, in so many instances, "the path of the -just is as a shining light," yet there is a remarkable difference between the natural day and the day of grace. In the natural world, the sun sets, and darkness advances; in the spiritual world, it terminates in everlasting day: "Their sun shall no more go down for ever."

Inferences.

1. Have the just a path prescribed for them to walk in? then all who are living to themselves are wanderers from this path.

Is this path compared to light? then those who are not walking therein are in darkness. Prov. iv. 19.

3. If "the path of the just be as a shining light," &c. let such as profess to be walking in it, inquire whether they are advancing forward. Phil. iii. 13-15.

JESUS, THE SAVIOUR.

And thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his peo ple from their sins.-Matt. i. 21.

WHEN God brought his only-begotten into the world, the Holy Ghost prepares him a body, the angels bring him down a name, they sing his birth and adore his person: they have no such need of him, nor interest in him as we have, and yet they gladly minister to the heirs of salvation, and to the author of it too. Here one of them very seasonably rescues poor Joseph from his perplexity, scatters his doubts and fears, and makes his uneasy suspicions give way to the joyful expectation of the most wonderful birth, and the most wonderful person, that ever was in the world: where he suspected sin, he found a Saviour from all sin. Matt. i. 20, 21.

I. Make some remarks on the name of Jesus.

1. It seems to be a personal name, and not a name merely of office, as are the names of Christ, Messiah, Mediator. Jesus is the same name with Joshua, which signifies a saviour; Joshua had his name by a special. designation, to signify what he should perform, viz. save the Israelites from their enemies, and bring them into the promised land: Jesus had his name given him by special appointment, to signify that he will also perform to his people all that which his name signifies, viz. "That he shall save his people from their sins."

2. This name Jesus was given by the ministration of angels before he was conceived. Not by private fancy, not by his mother Mary, or his reputed father, not by any man, but Jehovah himself. The God that knew his nature, temper, office, and designs, gave him a name suitable to them all.

3. It was solemnly put upon him at his circumcision. (Luke ii. 21.) His circumcision was the beginning to act a part suitable to his name, by this he was admitted a member of the Jewish church, "whom he came to seek

and to save." By this he became subject to the law of God, bound to its duties, and obnoxious to its penalties.

4. The same Jesus is mentioned as the substance of the gospel-preaching, as comprehensive of the whole method of salvation. Acts viii. 35.

5. All his other names centre in this name Jesus. He had never had the name Christ, the anointed, but in order to be Jesus, the saviour.

II. The reason of his name. "For he shall save his people from their sins."

It is Jesus that saves by his own power and merit, in a sense that carries an infinite emphasis and sweetness in it, as will appear if we consider the nature of this salvation and the manner of his effecting it.

1. The nature of this salvation. It is,

1. A salvation from sin. From the guilt of sin. (Rom. iii. 24.) The dominion of sin. (Titus ii. 12.) The filth of sin. (Titus iii. 5; 1 Thess. v. 23.) The tormenting sense of sin. (Heb. ix. 14.) The destructive consequences of sin. (1 Peter. iii. 18.) Though not from the infirmities of this life entirely, nor the dishonours of the grave, yet so far from the evil of both, as to turn them into a gain. Phil. i. 21.

2. He saves us from the wrath of God. 1 Thess. i. 10; Rom. v. 9.

3. This salvation is not merely negative, from sin and the wrath of God, but of a positive nature. He saves unto heaven, unto happiness. To God, our chief good; to heaven, our better paradise; to the enjoyment of God, in all his perfections; the Holy Spirit, and all his graces ; Jesus Christ, in all his offices, and with all his benefits; the gospel, with all its promises; the covenant of grace, with all its privileges; heaven, with all its glories: and an eternity to all. 1 John iii. 2.

2. The way and manner by which Jesus saves his people from their sins. In the general, he saves us from all sin here, and from the wrath to come; from all these evils, and unto the enjoyment of a happiness that begins here in this life, in a justified state, a holy nature, com munion with God, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and is completed hereafter. But more par ticularly,

1. He hath meritoriously procured and obtained this salvation for us. 1 Peter i. 18, 19; John iii. 16, 17; Rom. v. 10.

2. He doctrinally shows his people the way of this salvation, by his word and spirit. This he did in his own person (John i. 18;) by the apostles (Matt. xxviii. 20 ;) and by his ministers, who preach the same doctrines, repentance, faith, and holiness. Acts xx. 21; Heb.

xii. 14.

3. He doth effectually begin, carry on, and perfect the work of this salvation in our souls, by enlightening the mind, convincing the conscience of the evil of sin, of the necessity of Christ, of the excellency of holiness.

4. Jesus actually confers salvation upon his people. Rev. ii. 10; James i. 12.

Improvement.

1. How much was the heart of Jesus set upon our salvation. Salvation is woven into the name and style of our Sovereign Lord Jesus, to show what he aimed at, and gloried in. With this name he came into the world, went through it, went out of it, and with this he lives above. 2. We observe the different genius and design of his name, and some other great names in the world. When a great prince is born into the world, he usually takes his name from some province or principality. Some take their name from the devastation and ruin they have made; but when the Lord Jesus came into the world, who made all worlds, he had not one foot of land to take a denomination from. Neither doth he borrow his name from the destruction of the fallen angels, or from the final victory he will obtain over all his enemies. No, but from something that lay nearer his heart, "The salvation of his people from their sins."

3. We ought to observe how he acted up to the full meaning of his name. Salvation is in his name. Whenever he said, "Arise and walk," and healed the body; 66 thy sins are forgiven," and healed the soul; he is acting up to the name Jesus.

4. Let us act up to our expectations from this name. Let us act like those who expect to be saved from their sins, and not as if we hoped to be saved in them.

5. To those who find they have an interest in this