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If we refuse thus to do, and are of another spirit, we may justly expect that God will deny us his mercy, as he has threatened! If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. Matt. vi. 14, 15. The same we have in the parable of the man who owed his lord ten thousand talents. Matt. xviii. 23-35.

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SERMON III.

WISDOM DISPLAYED IN SALVATION.

EPHESIANS iii. 10.

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.

Introduction.

THE apostle is speaking in the context of the glorious doctrine of the redemption of sinners by Jesus Christ, and how it was in a great measure kept hid in the past ages of the world. It was a mystery, that before they did not understand, but now it was in a glorious manner brought to light, (ver. 3-5.) "By revelation he made known unto me the mystery, (as I wrote afore in few words; whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ,) which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets, by the Spirit :" And ver. 8, 9. "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ."

And the apostle in the text informs us, that what Christ had accomplished towards his church, in the work of redemption, had not only in a great measure unveiled the mystery to the church in this world; but God had more clearly and fully opened it to the understanding even of the angels themselves; and that this was one end of God in it, to discover the glory of his wisdom to the angels. To the intent that now unto the principaliies and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church he manifold wisdom of God.

One end of revealing God's counsels concerning the work of redemption, is making known God's wisdom. It is called manifold wisdom; because of the manifold glorious ends that are at

tained by it. The excellent designs, hereby accomplished, are very manifold. The wisdom of God in this is of vast extent. The contrivance is so manifold, that one may spend an eternity in discovering more of the excellent ends and designs accomplished by it; and the multitude and vast variety of things that are, by divine contrivance, brought to conspire to the bringing about those ends.

We may observe, to whom it is that God would manifest this his wisdom, by revealing the mystery of our redemption ;-and they are not only men, but the angels. "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known-the manifold wisdom of God." The angels are of ten called principalities and powers, because of the exalted dignity of their nature. The angels excel in strength and wisdom. Those who are the wise men of the earth are called princes in the style of the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world. Ver. 8. Which none of

the princes of this world knew ; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So the angels are called principalities for their great wisdom. They may also be so called for the honour God has put upon them, in employing them as his ministers and instruments, wherewith he governs the world: and therefore are called thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, Col. i. 16.

They are called principalities and powers in heavenly places, as distinguishing them from those that are in places of earthly power and dignity. The offices, or places of dignity and power that the angels sustain, are not earthly but heavenly. They are in places of honour and power in the heavenly city and the heavenly kingdom.

One end of God in revealing his design of contrivance for redemption, as he hath so fully and gloriously done by Jesus Christ, is that the angels in heaven may behold the glory of his wisdom by it. Though they are such bright intelligences, and do always behold the face of God the Father; and know so much; yet here is matter of instruction for them. Here they may see more of the divine wisdom than ever they had seen before. It was a new discovery of the wisdom of God to them.

The time when this display of the wisdom of God was especially made to the angels is, when Christ introduced the gospel dispensation implied in these words, "To the intent that now unto the principalities," &c. When Christ came into the world and died, and actually performed the work of redemptionwhen he had fully and plainly revealed the counsels of God concerning it; and accordingly introduced the evangelical dispensation, and erected the gospel church,-then the angels understood more of the mystery of man's redemption, and the mani

fold designs and counsels of divine wisdom, than ever they had done before.

In the foregoing verse the apostle, after speaking of revealing this wisdom of God to man, "And to make all men see, what is the fellowship of this mystery," &c. speaks of this mystery as a thing from the beginning kept hid till now. "The mystery, which from the beginning of the world had been hid in Godthat now," &c. In this verse he mentions another end, viz. that he may at the same time make the angels also see God's wisdom in his glorious scheme of redemption.-"Now, at this time," implies that it was before a mystery kept hid from them in comparison of what it is now. And here is room enough for the angels to discover more and more to all eternity of the wisdom of God in this work.

Observe the medium by which the angels come by this knowledge, viz. the church. "That now unto principalities-might be known by the church,"-i. e. by the things they sec done in the church, or towards the church: and by what they see concerning the church. So hath it pleased the sovereign God that the angels should have the most glorious discoveries of divine wisdom by his doings towards his church, a sort of beings much inferior to themselves. It hath pleased God to put this honour upon us.

The wisdom appearing in the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, is far above the wisdom of the angels. For here it is mentioned as one end of God in revealing the contrivance of our salvation, that the angels thereby might see and know how great and manifold the wisdom of God is, to hold forth the divine wisdom to the angels' view and admiration. But why is it so, if this wisdom be not higher than their own wisdom? It never would have been mentioned as one end of revealing the contrivance of redemption, that the angels might see how manifold God's wisdom is, if all the wisdom to be seen in it was no greater than their own. It is mentioned as a wisdom such as they had never seen before, not in God, much less in themselves. That now might be known how manifold the wisdom of God is; now, four thousand years since the creation. In all that time the angels had always beheld the face of God; and had been studying God's works of creation; yet they never till that day, had seen any thing like that: never knew how manifold God's wisdom is, as now they knew it by the church.

SECTION I.

Wonderful things done, by which Salvation is procured.

SUCH is the choice of the person chosen to be our Redeemer, -the substituting of him in our room; his incarnation-his life -his death-and exaltation. And.

1. We will consider the choice of the person to be our Redeemer. When God designed the redemption of mankind, his great wisdom appears in that he pitched upon his own, his only begotten Son, to be the person to perform the work. He was a Redeemer of God's own choosing, and therefore he is called in Scripture God's elect. (Isa. Ixii. 1.) The wisdom of choosing this person to be the Redeemer, appears in his being every way a fit person for the undertaking. It was necessary that the person that is the Redeemer, should be a divine person ;-None but a divine person was sufficient for this great work. The work is infinitely unequal to any creature. It was requisite, that the Redeemer of sinners, should be himself infinitely holy. None could take away the infinite evil of sin, but one that was infinitely far from and contrary to sin himself. Christ is a fit person on this account.

It was requisite, that the person, in order to be sufficient for this undertaking, should be one of infinite dignity and worthiness, that he might be capable of meriting infinite blessings. The Son of God is a fit person on this account. It was necessary, that he should be a person of infinite power and wisdom; for this work is so difficult, that it requires such an one. Christ is a fit person also upon this account. It was requisite, that he should be a person infinitely dear to God the Father, in order to give an infinite value to his transactions in the Father's esteem, and that the Father's love to him might balance the offence and provocation by our sins. Christ is a fit person upon this account. Therefore called the beloved, (Eph. i. 6.) He hath made us accepted in the beloved.

It was requisite, that the person should be one that could act in this as of his own absolute right: one that, in himself, is not a servant or subject; because, if he is one that cannot act of his own right, he cannot merit any thing. He that is a servant, and that can do no more than he is bound to do, cannot merit. And then he that has nothing that is absolutely his own, cannot pay any price to redeem another. Upon this account Christ is a person; and none but a divine person can be fit.-And he must be a person also of infinite mercy and love; for no other person but such an one would undertake a work so difficult, for a creature so unworthy as man. Upon this account also Christ is a fit person. It was requisite that he should be a person of unchangeable perfect truth and faithfulness; otherwise he could not be lit to be depended on by us in so great an affair. Christ is also a fit person upon this account.

The wisdom of God in choosing his eternal Son, appears, not only in that he is a fit person; but in that he was the only fit person of all persons, whether created or uncreated. No created person, neither man, nor angel, was fit for this undertaking; for we have just now shown, that he must be a person of infin

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