being, who is the fountain and cause of it. Were I to choose, I would not be mine own master...mine own carver...mine own centre; no, I would not; it is better as it is: I love to think of the eternal God, as the just Director of all my actions, to whom I am accountable...and the wise Disposer of all my afairs, to whom I must submit. I love to think of him as my chief good, who, having made me, is alone able to make me happy; and as my highest end, of whom, and through whom, and to whom, are all things.... Rom. xi. 36.

(3.) Let it be a pleasure to thee to think of the covenant-relations wherein this God stands to thee in Jesus Christ,' This is especially to be our delight in this sealing ordinance; though the sacrament directs us immediately to Christ, yet, through him, it leads us to the Father. He died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. To God therefore we must go as our end and rest, by Christ as our way-to God as a Father, by Christ as Mediator, Come, then, my soul, and see with joy and the highest satisfaction the God that made thee entering into covenant with thee, and engaging to make thee happy. Hear him saying to thee, my soul, I am thy salvation...thy shield-and not only thy bountiful rewarder, but thine exceeding great reward: I am, and will be to thee a God all sufficient....a God, that is enough. Fear thou not, for I am with thee, wherever thou art; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; whatever thou wantest, whatever thou losest, call me God, even thine own God; when thou art weak, I will strengthen thee; yea, when thou art helpless, I will help thee; yea, when thou art ready to sink, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness'....Isa. xli, 10. The God that cannot lie hath said it, and here seals it to thee, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' Let this be to thee, my soul, the voice of joy and gladness, making even broken bones to rejoice. Encourage thyself in the Lord thy God; He is thy shepherd; thou shalt not

want any thing that is good for thee....Psal. xxiii. 1, &c. Thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of hosts is his name,' (Isa. liv. 5,) and, As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee' .... Isa. Ixii. 35. He shall rest in his love to thee.... Zeph. iii. 17. Rest, then, in thy love to him, and rejoice in him always. The Lord is thy law-giver.... thy King, that will save thee'....Isa. xxxiii. 22. Swear allegiance to him, then, with gladness and loud hosannas: 'let Israel rejoice in him that made him.... that new made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King'....Psal. cxlix. 2. What wouldst thou more? "This God is thy God forever and ever.'

Stir up thyself, my soul, to take the comfort which is here offered thee. Let this strengthen the weak hands; let it confirm the feeble knees. If God be. indeed the health of thy countenance, and thy God, why art thou cast down? why art thou disquieted ?a Die not for thirst when there is such a fountain of living waters near thee, but draw water with joy out of these wells of salvation. Shiver not for cold when there is such a reviving....a quickening heat in these promises; but say with pleasure, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire'....Isa. xliv. 16. Faint not for hunger, now thou art at a feast of fat things, but be

abundantly satisfied with the goodness of God's house'....Psal. xxxvi. 8—lxv. 4. The God whose wrath and frowns thou hast incurred, here favors thee, and smiles on thee; let this, therefore, give thee a joy greater than the joy of harvest, and far surpassing what they have that divide the spoil. Though thou canst not reach to holy raptures, yet compose thyself for a holy rest: 'delight thyself always in the Lord,' especially at this ordinance, and, by thus taking the comfort of what thou hast received, thou qualifiest thyself to receive more; for then he shall give thee the desire of thy heart....Psal. xxxvii. 4. The way

to have thine heart's desire, is to make God thy heart's delight. Triumph in his love and thine interest in

him his benignity is better than life-let it be to thee sweeter than life itself. Behold God is my Saviour ....God is my salvation: I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength, and therefore my song....the strength of my heart, and my portion forever'....Isa. xii. 2-Psal. Ixxiii. 26. When thou comest to the altar of God, call him, God thy exceeding joy,' (Psal. xliii. 4.)—' thy God...thy glory'.... Isa. Ix. 19.

Fourthly, Here we must be admiring the mysteries and miracles of redeeming love. They that worshipped the beast are said to wonder after him, (Rev. xiii, 3.)—so must they that worship the Lamb; for he hath done marvellous things. We have reason to say that we were fearfully and wonderfully made; but, with out doubt, we were more fearfully and wonderfully redeemed. We were made with a word, but we were bought with a price; stand still, then, and see the salvation of the Lord....see it with admiration. Affect thyself, my soul, with a pleasing wonder, while thou art seeing this great sight. The everlasting gospel is here magnified and made honorable; let it be so in thine eyes; call it the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Let us take a view of some of the marvellous things which are done in the work of our redemption:

(1.) The contrivance of the salvation is marvellous; it would have forever puzzled the wisdom of angels and men, to have found out such a method of salvation as might effectually satisfy God's justice, and yet secure men's happiness....save the life of the law-breaker, and yet maintain the honor of the law-maker.This is that mystery which the angels desire to look into, and which the most piercing eye of those inquisitive spirits, that see by the light of the upper-world, will not be able, to eternity, to discern the bottom of. O the depth of this hidden wisdom!

(2.) The purposes of God's love concerning it from eternity are marvellous. Be astonished, O my soul, at this, That the God who was infinitely happy in the

contemplation and enjoyment of himself and his own perfections, should yet think thoughts of love towards a remnant of mankind, and towards thee amongst the rest, and design such favors for them....such favors for thee, before the worlds were! How precious should these thoughts be unto us! for, how great is the sum of them!'.... Psal. cxxxix. 17.

(3.) The choice of the person who should undertake it is marvellous; the Son of his love, that, in parting with him for us, he might commend his love!-the eternal Wisdom....the eternal word, that he might ef fectually accomplish this great design, and might not fail nor be discouraged a person every way fit both to do the Redeemer's work, and to wear the Re deemer's crown. It is spoken of as an admirable invention, fob xxxiii. 24...I have found a ransom: and, Psal. lxxxix. 19, 20...I have found David my servant. On earth there was not his like, nor in heaven neither.

(4.) The Redeemer's consent to the undertaking is marvellous. Considering his own dignity and selfsufficiency....our unworthiness and obnoxiousness.... the difficulty of the service, and the ill requitals he foresaw from an ungrateful world, we have reason to admire that he should be so free...so forward to it, and should say, Lo Icome: here am I-send me. Nev. er was there such a miracle of love and pity; verily it passeth knowledge.

(5.) The carrying on of his undertaking in his humiliation is marvellous. His name was wonderful.... Isa. ix. 6. His appearance in the world, from first to last, was a continued series of wonders; without controversy, great was his mystery of godliness. The bringing of the first begotten into the world, was attended with the adorations of wondering angels.... Heb. i. 6. His doctrine and miracles, while he was in the world, were admirable; they that heard the one, and saw the other, were beyond measure astonished. But, his going out of the world was the greatest wonder of all; it made the earth to shake....the rocks to rend,

and the sun to cover his face.

Never was there such

a martyr....never such a sacrifice....never such a paradox of love as that was. 'God forbid that we should glory, save in the cross of Christ; which is so much the wisdom of God, and the power of God.'

(6.) The honors of this exalted state are marvellous. He that was for a little while lower than the angels.... a worm, and no man, is now the Lord of angels. One in our nature is advanced to the highest honors....inyested with the highest powers; having an incontestible authority to execute judgment, even for this reason, because he is the son of man, (John v. 27.)—not only though he is so, but because he is so. This is the Lord's doing, and it is and should be marvellous in our eyes.

(7.) The covenant of grace made with us in him is marvellous. The terms of the covenant are wonderful, reasonable, and easy; the treasures of the covenant are very rich and valuable: the covenant itself is well ordered in all things and sure-admirably well, both for the glory of God and the comfort of all believers. God in it sheweth us his marvellous lovingkindness, (Psal. xvii. 7.)—and we answer not the design of the discovery if we do not admire it. Other things, the more they are known, the less they are wondered at; but the riches of redeeming love appear more admirable to those that are best acquainted with them.

Fifthly, Here we must be caring what we shall ren der to him that hath thus loved us. This wondrous love is love to us, and not only gives the greatest encouragements to us to come to God for mercy and, peace, but lays the strongest engagements upon us to walk with God in duty and obedience. We are bound in conscience....bound in honor....bound in gratitude to love him, and live to him, who loved us and died for us. This concern should much affect us, and lie very near our hearts, how we may answer the intentions of this love.