"Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than "these which this man hath done?" ver. 31. others said to him," thou hast a devil," ver. 20. At last of all the Pharisees, witnessing the murmurs of the people, conspired with the chief priests and sent officers to take him; the substance of his discourse with these is worthy of attention, in which is set forth; 1st. the reality of Christ's human nature, "Yet a little while am I with you and then I go "unto him that sent me," ver. 33. and this proof they accepted of his humanity. 2nd. The reality of his divine nature, "Ye shall seek me and shall not find

me, and where I am, thither ye cannot come," ver. 34. but this proof of his divinity they endeavoured to controvert, though not without some irresistible persuasion of his Messiahship. "Then said "the Jews whither will he go, that we shall not "find him? will he go unto the dispersed among "the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles. What

manner of saying is this, ye shall seek me and not find me, and where I am, thither ye cannot "come." 3d. The fulness of his mediatorial glory, and the graces of the spirit flowing therefrom, to all true believers; " In the last day, that great day

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of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If 66 any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. "He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living "water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the

Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Je"sus was not yet glorified," ver. 37, 38, 39. The result of this argument was, " many said of a truth "this is the prophet. Others said this is the "Christ. But some said, shall Christ come out of "Galilee?" ver. 40, 41. At last, though "some of "them would have taken him, no man laid "hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said unto "them, Why have ye not brought him? the officers "answered, Never man spake like this man," ver. 44, 45, 46. O most powerful argument to believing hearts, they were sweetly constrained to acknowledge the fulness of wisdom and prudence which dwelt in the Godhead bodily.

Third, in his mediatorial nature, or character of God-man. "Behold my servant shall deal prudently." Isaiah lii. 13.

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By his knowledge shall my righteous servant 'justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities." Isaiah liii. 11.

In regard to Christ's wisdom and prudence, as resting in his mediatorial nature, I have been led in some way to anticipate it under the last remark.

The prudence of Christ however might still be taken notice of, in the methods which he adopted in his divine wisdom, gradually to unfold the work of redemption through all ages, to his own coming, when the great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh, was unravelled by his taking upon himself our

human nature. But as the due setting forth of this would require much time, and as it has been ably handled by the late President Edwards in his History of Redemption, I beg leave to refer my readers to that publication, and will observe under this head, that Christ's mediatorial wisdom was manifested in his justification of his chosen people, by bearing their iniquities, and this in three ways;

First, by justifying them in his blood.

Second, by justifying them through his righteous

ness.

Third, by justifying them by his Spirit.

First,, In his Blood. It was a point in the law that "without shedding of blood is no remis"sion;" Heb. ix. 22. for it is declared that "it is "the blood which maketh an atonement," Levit. xvii. 1. It is the gospel which takes up the subject in an effectual manner, for the salvation of sinners; it re-echoes the thunders of the law, that man may know his guilt and danger, but it reverberates not the curses of the law, that man may not fall the victim. It re-echoes the thunders of the law, "Without shedding of blood, there is no remis

sion," Heb. ix. 22. It speaks also the inefficacy of man's atonement to take away sin; " It is not

possible that the blood of bulls and goats should "take away sins," Heb. x. 4. But it shews the willingness of Christ and the efficacy of his atonement above all others to take them away: for even every priest standeth daily ministering and of

fering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can "never take away sins; but this man after he had

offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on "the right hand of God-for by one offering he "hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,” Heb. xi. 12. 14. But it reverberates not the curses of the law; on the contrary," There is therefore 66 now no condemnation, to them which are in "Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but

after the Spirit,” Rom. viii. 1. for adds the same apostle in another place, "Yea are not come unto "the mount that might be touched, and that "burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and “darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice they that heard, entreated that the word should "not be spoken to them any more. And so terri="ble was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly

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'fear and quake: but ye are come unto Mount "Zion. And to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than that of Abel," Heb. xii. 16 to 24.

But if the gospel is intended to convince us of the inefficacy of man's atonement to put away sin, it points us to that great justifying medium Jesus Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree. And here whilst it is declared, that "God com"mended his love towards us in that whilst we "were yet sinners, Christ died for us." It is

12 Justification by the Righteousness of Christ.

added, “Much more then being now justified by "his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him," Rom. v. S, 9. The dying legacy of Christ to his believing people in all ages, was his own blood; which in his last earthly passover he gave for his disciples; " And he took the "And he took the cup, and gave "thanks, and gave it them, saying; Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testa“ment, which is sked for many for the remission

of sins." And as an encouragement to his disciples, to look for a further supply of this inestimable blessing; Christ adds, "But I say unto you, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the "vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. Father's kingdom." Matt. xxvi.

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28, 29.

Secondly, through his righteousness.

The purification by the blood of Christ, may be considered as the commencing cause of man's acceptance with God, when first wrought upon by the regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit. It precedes justification by Christ's righteousness, sceing a man must be purged from his old sins, before he can bring forth any thing new. And as the blood of Christ cleanseth from unbelief in principle, as well as actual transgression, so it supposes that faith begins in the heart, as well as other divinely implanted graces, when the regenerating influence of the Holy Spirit first operates upon it. And in this operation the blood of Christ is repre