vinity under a human form. (John i. 14.) The Messiah is properly the Schechina, God dwelling in man. And so intimate is this union, that the properties of the one nature are applied and transferred to the other. The properties of the Word are ascribed to human nature; and reciprocally the properties of human nature to the divine person, called the Word. (See John iii. 13.) Christ was in heaven at the time he preached on the earth; but this was true of him only as God. (Acts xx. 28.) Blood was applicable to Christ, only as man, and yet the apostle applies it to God: the foundation of which language can only be this, that one person is both God and man. This is mysterious (1 Tim. iii.,16.); yet no absurdity in it, God the creator of all, who pervades all, may animate and connect himself with any particular nature, and to what degree he thinks proper. The gospel declares this to be matter of fact.

2. Because of the god-like virtues he displayed; he lived like God. Did nothing but good; was perfectly innocent; humble, meek; benevolent to friends and foes. He gave health to the sick, &c. In the height of his agony, pleaded the cause of his murderers; and the dignity of his conduct forced the centurion to cry, "Truly this," &c. Matt, xxvii. 54.

3. Because of his office of Mediator; he is the peace-maker between God and fallen man: it is through him that God is reconciled; God and man united; through him the blessings of salvation flow to man; the duties of religion, performed, ascend acceptably to God. In this sense he is "God with us,"

II. For what purpose did the Son of God unite with human nature?

1. To enlighten mankind with the most important discoveries. (Matt. iv. 16; Luke i. 78, 79.) To teach us the unity of God; the terms of our acceptance with God; to unfold the invisible world; to lay open the state of the dead; to give the highest idea of the happiness of good men, and the misery of the bad; to as sure us of a general resurrection, and final judgment; the everlasting consequences of both; to give us rules of conduct in the greatest simplicity, clothed with language so plain as to suit the meanest capacity; and so sublime as to charm the most cultivated mind.

2. To exhibit to man a pattern of perfect righteousness and virtue. What ingredient is there of genuine piety, which we find not exemplified in the conduct of Jesus? how gentle, benign, patient, was his answer to his disciples. (Luke ix. 54-56.) How temperate, yet not austere! How magnanimous! adhering to truth in the face of danger and death. How benevolent! his whole life was one continued flow of ardent affection, of generous deeds. How humble! How devout! He continually breathed adoration, thanks, resignation, and obedience to the Great Original, whence he came and whither he went.

3. To expiate human guilt, and procure the pardon of sin by the sacrifice of his death. John i. 29; Gal. iii. 13; Heb. ix. 22.

4. To remove all variance between God and man ; that God might dwell among them. 2 Cor. vi. 16, 17. 5. To purify our nature, and restore us to the divine image. Tit. ii. 14.

6. To bring us into the happiest union with God; that he might bring us to heaven, which is, properly speaking, the land of Emmanuel; a land where God

is with us, and we are with God. Rev. xxi. 3; xxii. 4, 5.

Improvement.

1. If Christ is Emmanuel, he has a clear title to our religious homage. John v. 23.

2. It should excite our highest admiration of the divine goodness and condescension.

3. Let us feel a divine sensibility of mind; display a proper sublimity of conduct, by not degrading that nature which God hath so highly honoured by assuming it into an immediate society with himself. Let us cast out this earth from our hearts; let us no longer prostitute our love to inferior things, but live as those whose prospects extend beyond the present perishing world; who hope, by the power of Emmanuel, to be one day conquerors over death and the grave, 1 Cor. xv. 54-58.

To conclude. Let us be sensible to the life of God in our nature; daily ascend to him in such efforts as our nature is capable of; by the aid of his Spirit let us go from strength to strength till we appear before him in Zion, and take our seat with Emmanuel in the regions of the blessed. Amen!

THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM.

Ye are come to Mount Zion, &c.-Heb. xii. 22, 23.

NOTHING tends more to elevate the soul than to contemplate the glorious relations that ennobled us by embracing the gospel. There is a general bond that unites all mankind: we are all by nature connected and allied to each other: we are the same flesh and blood, animated with the same immortal and

reasonable souls. In every eivil society there is also a positive relation uniting its several members, by virtue of which they are esteemed to form one political body; but the religion of Christ introduces a new and more noble kind of alliance; it opens a communication between heaven and earth; it incorporates mortal men with the blessed angels and immortal spirits above. As men, we are allied to each other; as Christians, we are raised out of ourselves, and united to beings of a higher order, and a more exalted perfection in a word, the gospel translates us who dwell in houses of clay to the "city which hath foundations." "Ye are come to mount Zion.'

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These words present the following considerations. I. The state of heaven as a glorious city. "Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."

By mount Zion, is not meant the mountain literally so called; but that glorious region prefigured by it; for it is further styled "the heavenly Jerusalem.” As we cannot form an adequate conception of heaven, it is shadowed forth under various comparisons; it is likened to a pearl of great price, an incorruptible kingdom, a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Every image that is great and agreeable, that can dazzle the eye, or fire the imagination, is borrowed to give some idea of that which surpasseth understandng. It is here compared to a rich and magnificent city, the city of the living God; also Heb. xi. 10. This is that city.

1. Where the most glorious display of divine wisdom appears, every thing conducted with exquisite policy.

2. Where omnipotent goodness operates at large,

and deals her favours with the richest profusion. Ps. xvi. 11.

3. Where the King of glory himself dwells, and every thing declares his more immediate presence. Rev. vii. 15.

4. Where the laws, manners, and employments of the inhabitants, most resemble, and are most worthy of God.

5. In fine, this is that city which is the first production of the grand Architect of nature, and whither we are at last conveyed, but not till duly prepared for it. (Rev, xxi. 27 ; xxfi. 14.) See a fine description of this city, Rev. xxi. 10-22. And of this city, all real Christians are represented as members, even while they are in this world; and this is the

II. Thing to be observed in these words; our accession or relation to it. There is a certain figure made use of by our Saviour and his apostles, a figure that anticipates hereafter; that makes futurity present, and realizes the distant glories of immortality. (Matt. v. 3; Eph. ii. 6.) And the text says, "ye are come;"" already come," &c. The Christian religion suggests particular grounds for this sublime representation, such as no other system, or institution, oan exhibit. For example, we have,

1. The express promise of God to put every persevering Christian into the possession of mount Zion above. Rev. xxii. 14; ii. 7. 10.

2. It is further ascertained from the mediation of Christ, the grand end of which see, Heb. ii. 10.

3. The supreme power of the Redeemer. (Matt. xxviii. 18.) Which is equal to remove every difficulty, subdue every enemy, supply every necessity, and exalt to the highest dignity. It is an infallible

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