SERMON XLY1II. 75 ever. According to the tenor of the scripture, I think the man Jesus is not capable of receiving these honours, without such a personal union to the godhead as makes him a God-man or one with God : And upon this foot, I allow, with the learned and pions Doctor Owen, and other protestant writers, that the human nature of Christ in the person of the Mediator, and con- sidered as God-man, may be worshipped and receive its own share of these honours, so far at is possible for a creature in so close an union with the eternalgodhead. Before I proceed to the secondgeneral part of the subject which is appointed me, I would make a few remarks or infer- ences from the first. Remark I. Is Christ exalted to suchglory ? Then all the real scandal of the cross ceases : It vanishes away and is lost, when thecrucified man is all glorious at theright -hand of God. The scandal ceases from Christ, and it ceases fromhis people teo : It is no longer amatter of shame or folly to be a believer or follower of sucha Jesus. The power and grandeur of the Son of God, sitting on so illustrious a throne, takes away and annihilates all the scandal of a man hanging on a tree. The time is coming, and it hastens apace, when the Jews shall be ashamed of their reproaches cast upon him, and the sons of men shall be con- founded at the thoughts of their former mockeryof the Son of God. Ifwe keep this thought warmat our heartswe shall never be ashamed of the profession of the cross of Christ. II. Is Christ exalted by the Father's right-hand ? " Then his doctrines are worthy of our belief, his promises are worthy of our trust, and his laws of our obedience." His doctrines are cer- tainly worthy of our belief ; for never would God the Father have exalted his Son to -such honours, if he had brought one doctrine to the world which was not divinely true. Had he not been a faithful prophet in delivering all his messages from God, he had never been raised to be a King. We may venture therefore safely to receive all the lessons that he teaches us. And wemay safely relyon his promises too, for when Jesus, the faithful witness, is exalted to be Lord of all, he can fulfil every promise he has made. We may venture to trust him, in our most important interests of heaven and eternity. Does he assure us, that they who believe on him shall never perish? John vi. 40. Then we may rejoice with St. Paul, I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which I have committed to him till thegreat day; 2 Tim. i. 12. Does he pro- mise his followers, that hewill raise them from the dead, and give them eternal life? John vi. 24. Then we may safely_commit our bodies to the grave under his care, for these dead bodies shall
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