THE SAVIOR IN HIS DIVINE NATURE

Oh, who shall paint Him? -Let the sweetest tone
That ever trembled on the harps of Heaven,
Be discord; let the chanting seraphim,
Whose anthem is eternity, be dumb;
For praise and wonder, adoration, all
Melt into muteness before they soar to You,
Oh, sole Perfection! Theme of countless worlds.
R. Montgomery

The most interesting, profitable, and elevating theme that can be presented for the contemplation of the Christian on his way to immortality, is the Person and glory of the Savior– the nature and excellences of His divine perfections; and the various relations He sustains to us in His mediatorial character. In vain will we search for another theme which possesses such irresistible charms for the truly pious. The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus in His person and work! How captivating a subject! With what pleasure should we dwell upon it! This made Paul count all else as comparatively trifling. How strong his language! 'Yes doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge Of Christ Jesus my Lord.' 'For I determined not to know any thing among you, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified.'

The saints in all ages have spent the happiest moments of their earthly pilgrimage in meditating on the Person of the adorable Redeemer, and tracing the never failing streams of His grace, flowing from the throne of God for the refreshment of souls thirsting amid the deserts of life. It is the presence of Jesus that brings heaven to the soul– and oh, what foretastes of future felicity have believers enjoyed upon earth, when they have kept Him before the mind as the glorious object of contemplation! How many precious hours have they passed while thinking of Him in the house and by the way– in the closet and the church! Even in the still hours of night, when they have thought upon His name, how often have they been ready to exclaim, while the fire burned within them; 'How precious also are Your thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!' 'My meditation of Him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord.' 'My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips; when I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night watches.'

It was the remembrance of the divine glories and wonderful works of Emmanuel, that so enraptured the mind of the psalmist, and tuned his harp anew. 'I will sing unto the Lord so long as I live– I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.' This caused Paul and Silas, in the prison of Philippi, to break forth in their midnight songs of praise. This has also made the martyr joyful at the stake; and caused thousands of God's children to smile even amid the swellings of Jordan.
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer's ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
It is manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.'

To the Christian, while on earth, the remembrance of the name of Jesus will ever be as ointment poured forth; and when all the redeemed shall have taken up their golden harps in heaven, the name of the 'Child born,' and the 'Son given'– Emmanuel, God with us– will call forth the loudest notes, and tune the sweetest praise through eternity. And is it not most reasonable that Jesus should be the grand object of the soul's desire; and that He should be daily in our thoughts? Look at what He is in Himself– the embodiment of all that is truly great, and excellent, and lovely– clothed with every perfection of Deity– God over all, and blessed forever. How highly should He be prized on account of His personal excellencies! How much of our time should we spend in devout meditations on His uncreated glories!

But look again at what He has accomplished for the human race by His manifestation in the flesh- by satisfying the justice of God- by obeying the divine law- by atoning for our guilt- by suffering and dying in our room- by living to intercede for us- by opening the gates of Paradise, that we may be brought within its blissful bowers to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life, which stands on the banks of living streams. Christ Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith; the captain of our salvation; the conqueror of our foes; the bestower of heavenly blessings; the only foundation of our hopes of future happiness– our all, and in all. How highly then should we esteem Him for His wonderful manifestations of divine compassion. In what lofty strains should we extol Him for what He has done to save our souls from eternal death! Here, let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds.

O my soul, let it be your delightful employment daily to look unto Jesus in the exercise of faith, contemplating Him in the glories of His Person, and in the exhibitions of His grace.

THE PERSON OF THE SAVIOR IS DIVINE. His divinity is a fundamental article of our holy religion; the life and soul of all spiritual truth; and the foundation on which prophets, and apostles, and martyrs, and all true believers have built their hopes for eternity. And although many, in every age have labored hard to overthrow this grand doctrine of Christianity, yet it stands in Zion; a sure foundation stone; and never will the devices of man, nor the gates of hell, prevail against it. In vain has criticism been employed to erase from the Bible this glorious, fundamental truth, that the Savior of lost sinners is the eternal Son of God, possessed of Almighty power, unerring wisdom, and infinite goodness- that He is equal with the Father and Holy Spirit in all the perfections of Deity. Strange does it seem that any person, who professes to believe the Bible, should reject a doctrine so clearly asserted, and so firmly established by divine revelation.

On this point Scripture testimony is abundant. In many passages is the title of God ascribed to the Lord Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior. Open the inspired Volume and read: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God.' 'Unto the Son, He says, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom." Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, 'He is over all, God blessed forever.' It has been well said, that 'this single passage furnishes a decisive answer to the question respecting the divinity of our Savior.' In other portions of the Scripture He is called 'the mighty God the great God;' 'the living God;' 'the true God and eternal life;' 'the King of glory;' 'the King of kings and Lord of lords;' 'the everlasting Father;' 'the Prince of the kings of the earth;' 'Jehovah our Righteousness;' 'the image of the invisible God;' 'the express image of His person;' 'Emmanuel, God with us.' How clear, strong, and conclusive is such language? Is it not proof sufficient to establish the divinity of Jesus? The truth is here repeated again and again. If the Savior is not equal with God in all the glorious perfections of Deity, why are such titles given to Him? Is it not unreasonable as well as impious to ascribe such names to a mere creature, however excellent or exalted? Most assuredly it is. They can only apply to Him, who is in the form of God, and thinks it not robbery to be equal with God- the glorious Savior– the sinner's Friend; the Man of Calvary.

We have great reason to rejoice when we think of the Person of Christ. A divine Savior is ours: all the blessings of grace on earth and glory in heaven, are in His hand. He is mighty to save. Let us fearlessly entrust our souls to Him. He has purchased the Church with His divine blood. Let us wash our robes and make them white in His blood, and we shall at length be presented faultless before the presence of God in heaven. While we believe in Jesus as a divine Savior, we rest on a sure foundation- we recline on the arm of the Almighty. Christ Jesus, who is over all, God blessed forever, will be our refuge from every storm. Underneath and around us are the everlasting arms. He who framed the universe will guide us onward with 'His glorious arm' through the scenes of earth, until He leads us to living fountains of waters, amid the ineffable joys of heaven. How precious to receive a divine Savior to rest our all on Him! Oh, the delight which this doctrine of Christ's divinity affords to the sincere believer! Oh, the peace which it brings to the pious soul!

The divinity of Christ is proved by the divine perfections which are ascribed to Him in the Scriptures, and by the religious worship which is rendered to Him. Some of these peculiar attributes of the blessed Savior we would here notice.

ETERNITY PAST AND TO COME, BELONGS TO THE SAVIOR. Before the creation of mind or matter- from all eternity past- Christ Jesus lay in the bosom of the Father, enjoying with Him equal honor, power, glory, and blessing. He is declared by the unerring word of revelation to have been 'in the beginning with God;' and to have existed 'before all things.' Hear the fervent prayer of Him who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, and whom the Father always delights to honor; 'And now, O Father, glorify me with your own self; with the glory which I had with You before the world was.' His eternal existence is, moreover, expressly declared by the titles which He assumes in the Revelation: 'I am the first and the last.' 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.' This proves that Christ is truly and perfectly God, the only living and true God, the everlasting God; for none but a divine person could proclaim himself by such titles. This is a glorious perfection of the Deity. God has revealed Himself under titles similar to those which the Savior has applied to express His own absolute eternity. 'Thus says the Lord the King of Israel, and His Redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.' 'Who has wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am He.' 'Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am He; I am the first, I also am the last.'

In His addresses to the Jews, the Savior declares His infinite existence under a title which belongs to none but a divine person. 'Jesus said unto them, verily verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.' When God made known His great and glorious name to His chosen people, the ancient Israelites, what title did he choose as most expressive of His divine nature and infinite existence? Was it not the same by which Jesus proclaimed himself to the Jews? 'And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. And He said, Thus shall you say unto the children of Israel, I AM has sent me unto you.' One of the titles given to Christ in the ninth chapter of Isaiah is 'the everlasting Father,' and where in all the Scripture can we find a stronger passage to indicate the eternity of God Himself? No doctrine of Christianity is more clearly evinced than that of the eternal existence of the Son of God, and His original glory with the Father.

Besides those passages already quoted, the following may be adduced as also confirmatory of this fundamental truth. 'But you, Bethlehem Ephratha, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto me, who is to be Ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.' (In Hebrew, 'from the days of eternity'.) This passage declares the advent of One whose goings forth have been from the days of eternity; and who will deny that it is a prophecy respecting our Lord Jesus Christ? It was fulfilled when the eternal Son of God divested Himself of His original glory, left the bosom of the Father, and assumed our nature- when, for the redemption of a lost world, God Himself was manifested in the flesh, and dwelt among men. When Jesus of Nazareth walked on earth in the likeness of men, in the form of a servant, despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, not having so much as a place to lay His head, He was, at the same time, Emmanuel, God with us, the Father of the everlasting age, the Prince of Peace, the true God, and the Eternal Life.

'And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.' Again, John calls Him 'that Eternal Life who was with the Father, and was manifested unto us.' Does not such language plainly teach us, that before His incarnation our blessed Savior was with the Father, eternally existing, invested with honor, power, and glory, and possessing every possible perfection of the Divinity? How then can his eternal duration be reasonably questioned by any one who professes his belief in divine revelation? That Jesus Christ, who is declared to be the power of God, and the wisdom of God, existed from eternity past, is also evident from His own language when describing His original and essential glory with the Father. 'The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way, before His work of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was.' To us it is indisputable, that Christ existed before the universe was called into being- that His goings forth have been from the clays of eternity. How excellent, dignified, and glorious then must be His Person?

He was supremely blessed from all eternity past. Innumerable ages before the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy over worlds springing into being, the self existent Savior was in the possession of unutterable bliss at the right hand of God. And when the foundation of earth was laid, and time commenced its course, He was still with the Father, enjoying His unceasing delight, and rich in all celestial blessings. 'Then I was by Him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.' What heart can conceive the original blessedness, the glorious excellency of the eternal Son of God! Look at His untold glory; and ineffable joy with the Father from everlasting ages. How intimate and endearing a relation does He sustain to God! 'The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father.' 'You loved me before the foundation of the world.' How expressive are these words of the blessed condition of Christ Jesus before His incarnation, when He was daily the delight of the Father, rejoicing always before Him! In those joyous mansions above, He enjoyed the everlasting delight of the Father, who calls Him His elect, in whom His soul delights. There He was with God, the Fountain of all delight, in whose presence is fullness of joy: and He could say, 'all things that the Father has are mine.' How rapturous then must have been His joy! He was rich indeed. In that exalted state He experienced no sorrow, no pain, no lack, no temptation, no hidings of His Father's countenance. He shed no tears in those mansions of glory, and everlasting joy.

Oh, how different was it with Him when He assumed our nature, veiled His glory, and came to these regions of mortality for the purpose of redeeming lost man! Here He was destitute, and afflicted, and despised, and rejected by Men. Here He was oftentimes weary, while He had not where to lay His head. Here He wept tears of sorrow over ruined humanity, and even poured out His soul unto death for our sakes. It was not until He came to a world stained with sin, and stood as our representative, that it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, and to put Him to grief. And oh, how unutterable was that sorrow which He endured for us in Gethsemane, which caused Him to sweat great drops of blood, and to cry in the agony of his spirit, 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.' 'Oh, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.' It was not until He was extended on the cross, as our sacrifice, and bore our sins in His own body, that He was constrained to utter that most piercing; cry, 'My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?'

Blessed Jesus, did You leave the bosom of Your Father, and the felicities of the heavenly mansions to be invested with humanity- to endure such extreme, indescribable sufferings for my sake? Oh, matchless grace! Oh, infinite condescension! Even from eternity Your delights were with the sons of men. Amazing thought! How mysterious! How fathomless! At a thought so vast and so glorious, let the angels of God wonder- let the sons of men rejoice. O blessed Son of God, my Savior, may I ever acknowledge Your eternal existence, while I admire the surpassing glory and excellence of Your Person, and magnify Your boundless, incomparable love.

OMNIPOTENCE IS ASCRIBED TO THE SAVIOR. 'I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the almighty.' 'All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.' 'Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O most mighty, with Your glory and Your majesty.' In Isaiah, Christ is called the Mighty God. His omnipotence is peculiarly displayed in the creation of the universe- a work which the Scriptures plainly and repeatedly ascribe to Him. Creative power belongs to Deity alone; and of this power is Christ possessed. He is the Creator of animate and inanimate nature- the Former of all things. He spoke; and worlds started into being. He said, Let there be light; and there was light. From His divine hand came this fruitful earth with its beautiful and diversified landscapes- its flowery fields and shady groves- its lofty mountains and extended plains- its purling streams and majestic rivers- its quiet lakes and vast oceans. But earth is only a small portion of His mighty work. Lift up your eyes, and gaze on the ample sky when the mantle of night has covered the world. View the heavens glimmering with stars. What a scene of magnificence is spread out in yon vast and immeasurable regions, where planets roll, and suns pour their floods of light! By the word of His divine power the, Savior called those countless luminaries into existence. 'Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by names, by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one fails.' How exalting to the mind of the Christian is the thought, that He who offered Himself a sacrifice on Calvary for the sins of the world is the same glorious Being that 'alone spreads out the Heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea; which makes Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.' 'All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him as less than nothing, and vanity.'

Without any exception whatever, the creation of all things is ascribed to the Savior in the most explicit terms. 'By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by Him, and for Him.' 'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created.' 'All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.' 'He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.' 'By whom also He made the worlds.' 'And You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Your hands.' 'For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things; to whom be glory forever. Amen.' Now, if the universe was called into existence by the word of the Savior, as the Scriptures assert, then are His 'eternal power and Godhead' demonstrated; and in the face of all this Bible testimony, we may say with Dr. Owen, 'It is the highest rebellion against the light and teachings of God's word, to disbelieve His divine existence and power.' Oh, then, let us not withhold from the Savior that revenue of glory which is due to Him as the great Architect of the universe. Let us acknowledge His divinity, and declare His mighty acts. Let us praise Him whose divine hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and spread out the sky.

'Eternal Wisdom, You we praise,
Of You creation sings;
With Your loud name, rocks, hills, and seas,
And heaven's high palace rings.
Your hand how wide it spread the sky,
How glorious to behold!
Tinged with a blue of heavenly dye,
And starred with sparkling gold.
There You have bid the globes of light
Their endless circles run;
There the pale planet rules the night,
And day obeys the sun.
The noisy winds stand ready there
Your orders to obey,
With sounding wings they sweep the air,
To make Your chariot way.
There, like a trumpet, loud and strong,
Your thunder shakes our coast;
While the red lightnings wave along,
The banners of Your host.'

The omnipotence of the Savior is displayed not only in the creation of the universe, but also in its preservation. On this point, how strong and decisive is the language of Inspiration! 'By Him all things hold together.' 'Upholding all things by the word of His power.' Here we are taught that the mighty frame of the universe is sustained in existence by the word of our divine Savior. How great then must be His power; and how illustriously does His divinity shine in the preservation, as well as creation, of these manifold works of His hand! He has not only kindled up the sun in yonder heavens, but caused it to shine with undimmed splendor for thousands of years. By the same divine power He preserves all the celestial bodies in due order, rolling them with perfect harmony in their proper spheres through the illimitable void.
'His hands the wheels of nature guide
With an unerring skill,
And countless worlds extended wide
Obey His sovereign will.'

To Him, all creatures owe the continuation of their existence, and all the blessings they enjoy. His kingdom rules over all. 'O Lord, You preserve man and beast.' He has set a boundary to the sea, and its proud waves obey His command. To Him is committed the providential government of the world; and by His unseen, almighty power He sustains all nature, animate and inanimate, giving life to every blade of grass, and motion to every particle of blood which circulates through the veins of the minutest animal. 'There is an unseen power, that rules the illimitable world, that guides its motions from the brightest star, to the least dust of this sin-tainted world. While man, who madly deems himself the Lord of all, is nothing but weakness and dependence.'

OMNISCIENCE IS ASCRIBED TO THE SAVIOR. This peculiar attribute of the Divinity is expressly applied to Him in different portions of the Scriptures. 'Lord, You know all things.' 'But Jesus did not entrust Himself unto them, because He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.' 'And Jesus, knowing their thoughts.' In the following words the Savior declares both His omniscience and incomprehensibility: 'All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, but the Son, and He to whomsoever the Son wills reveal Him.' Again, He says, 'I am He who searches thoughts and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.' In His message to the seven churches of Asia, He declares that it is His prerogative to search the heart, and to know the works of the sons of men. In each message this truth is expressed in the sentence– 'I know Your works.' In the blessed Savior are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He searches Jerusalem with lighted candles. He has a perfect knowledge of every event that is transpiring in the remotest part of His mighty empire. Heaven, earth, and hell, are all unveiled before Him. His eyes, which are as a flame of fire, are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Now, if Jesus knows what is in the hearts of all men, and if He is to judge them in righteousness, according to their works, then, certainly, He must be a divine person, possessing infinite knowledge.

In the omniscience of Christ there is an unfailing spring of joy and consolation for the real Christian. How inspiring to feel that we have a Savior who knows all our needs- whose eye is ever upon us for good- whose ear is always opened to our petitions. 'For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers.' 'I will set My eyes upon them for good.' Come then, you afflicted, tempest-tossed child of earth, and lay all your sorrows before an omniscient and compassionate Savior. Make all your desires make known to Him. He has a willing ear to hear you, a willing heart to love you, a willing hand to save you.
Weep not! Jesus hears you,
Hears your moanings broken,
Hears when you right wearily
All your grief have spoken.
Raise your cry, He is nigh,
And when the waves roll full in view,
He shall fix their "Hitherto."

Let its view this subject seriously and practically. Let its remember that Jesus knows all the thoughts that are passing through our minds. 'O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!' That divine Savior, who is now our Witness, and who will before long be our Judge, knows perfectly well what is the present inclination of our minds- whether our hearts are absorbed with the empty pleasures of earth, or whether we love Him supremely. Oh that each of us, from our inmost soul, may be enabled to appeal to Him as the Searcher of hearts, in the language of the apostle, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You!' How happy to be thus firmly persuaded of the omniscience of Jesus! How happy to be conscious that we truly love Him; and that we can make such an appeal to Him in truth and sincerity! Here is a joy which the world cannot impart- which dwells only in the bosom of the true child of God. May this joy be ever yours- be ever mine.

O Omniscient Savior, we beseech You to watch over us amid all the scenes of earth. We are still on the ocean of life, exposed to its storms and its tempests; but while the waves dash on every side of us, may we see Your glorious Form on the troubled sea; may we hear Your animating voice- 'Be of good cheer; it is I; do not be afraid.' May we rejoice in the belief, that You know all things, and are intimately acquainted with all our ways. Guide us with Your counsel. Show us the path of life. Be our guiding Star until we reach the harbor of eternal rest. Be very near us in all the wanderings of our earthly pilgrimage. And oh, in that last, solemn hour which will terminate the voyage of life- that hour when all beneath the skies will prove unavailing- Oh, You, who know all the needs and desires of an immortal spirit at such a time, stand by us and whisper words of peace, and comfort, and joy to our departing souls; and when we leave the shores of time, and embark on the boundless ocean of eternity, may we find that it is an ocean of blessedness, where not a wave shall ever rise- where not a storm shall ever beat. Oh, may we be among those, who will forever stand before Your heavenly throne on that 'sea of glass like unto crystal,' casting our crowns before You, who has redeemed us to God by Your blood, and ascribing unto Your name all the glory, and honor, and power through the ages of bliss.

ANOTHER ATTRIBUTE OF THE SAVIOR IS OMNIPRESENCE. This attribute, as it implies immensity of nature, can belong only to a Divine person. And He who is the faithful and True Witness has left these words on record for the encouragement acid consolation of all His followers. 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' 'And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.' Now, unless He is a Divine Person, how can Christ Jesus, whom the heavens must receive until the times of the restitution of all things, be with His people on earth, in their different assemblies for religious worship, in all ages of the world? It is only by His divine nature that He is here in our midst to bless us and to do us good. And whenever or wherever we assemble for religious worship we may, according to His promise, expect His gracious presence to strengthen our hands; to cheer our hearts; to lift us above the cares, the sorrows, and the trials of the present life. When the Savior, in the days of His personal ministry, was teaching Nicodemus the necessity of regeneration, He was present in His divine nature, in Heaven, as well as on earth, and could say, at the same time, 'Even the Son of man who is in heaven.' If He is not really a Divine Person how could such language have been spoken by Him, who is called THE TRUTH- all the words of whose mouth are in righteousness? But He fills immensity with His divine nature, and is with His disciples in this valley of tears, as well as with the redeemed in mansions of heavenly felicity. Possessing this glorious attribute of the Godhead, immensity of nature, He can say, respecting Himself: 'Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? says the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.'

It is a most comforting truth for the true Christian to know that his Lord and Savior possesses this divine excellence; to be assured that He, whom his soul so ardently desires, is with him at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances. Oh, how soothing to hear Him, who fills immensity with his presence, whisper in our ears, as we move onward in our journey through the wilderness of this world, still pitching our tent nearer and nearer the heavenly Canaan, 'My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.' Let us think of this cheering promise. The blessed Savior will never forsake us if we put our trust in Him and follow Him, as the Lamb of God, wherever He goes. His gracious presence will go with us through the valley of mortal life; and leaning on His glorious arm, we will come up from the wilderness. And even here on earth He will give us a rest, as He has promised. 'And you shall find rest unto your souls.' 'The Lord will give you rest from your sorrow.' But oh, in the happy world beyond the grave He will give us a far more glorious rest. Yes, in that blessed world, where sin, and sorrow, and death can never come, His presence will go with us, and He will give us an eternal rest- a rest from sin, sorrow, pain, and all the ills of life- a rest with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- a rest beneath the shadow of the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise- a rest by the living Fountains of waters which issue from the throne of God- the rest of heaven.

O my soul, return unto your rest forthwith. Seek the gracious presence of Him who left His throne on high, to save you, to be with you always, and to give you rest. May the thought of the omnipresence of Jesus fill us with joy and consolation amid all the ways of life.
'His presence sweetens all our cares,
And makes our burdens light,
A word from Him dispels our fears,
And gilds the doom of night.'

Let us remember for our comfort, that the gracious eye of a divine Savior is upon us every moment of our existence, and that His everlasting arms are continually underneath and around us, protecting us from evil, shielding us from danger, and leading us to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. We cannot go from the presence of Israel's Shepherd, who is always and truly God with us. If we take to ourselves the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, His word will be true, 'Lo, I am with you always.' If we say, the darkness shall hide us from His presence; in the darkness as in the light He will still be at our right hand to defend and save us. If we make the grave our bed, He will be there to watch over our ashes, and to awaken us from the slumbers of the long dreamless night of death on the morning of the resurrection. If we ascend up into heaven, He is there, reigning in all the grandeur of His attributes; and through all those infinite ages of bliss, which roll beyond the judgment day- we will enjoy the 'presence of the Lord,' and behold 'the glory of his power.' Where, then, shall we go from His Spirit? or where shall we flee from His presence? Oh, that, like the psalmist, we could set the Lord always before us. Then we will have an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, when tossed by the waves and driven by the storms of life's ocean. Then we will not be moved because Jesus is at our right hand, and in our midst, a very present help in the hour of trouble and danger.

'Soul of the world, All-seeing Eye,
Where shall man from Your presence fly?
Say, would he climb the starry height?
All Heaven is instinct with Your Light.
Dwell in the darkness of the grave?
Yes, You are there to judge and save.
In vain on wings of morn we soar,
In vain the realms of space explore,
In vain retreat to shades of night,
For what can veil us from Your sight?
Distance dissolves before Your ray,
And darkness kindles into day.'

IMMUTABILITY, ANOTHER ATTRIBUTE PECULIAR TO GOD, IS ASCRIBED TO THE, SAVIOR. 'Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.' The same truth is expressed in the words which the apostle quotes from the one hundred and second psalm, to prove the superiority of the Son of God to the angels. 'You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Your hands. They shall perish; but You remain: and they all shall wax old as does a garment; and as a vesture shall You fold them up, and they shall be changed: but You are the same, and Your years shall not fail.' These passages evidently refer to the Savior in His uncreated nature. They teach us that He is possessed of absolute immutability; and if so, He must be a Divine Person; for this attribute is incommunicable to a created being. This is a perfection of the Savior, which renders him very precious in the eyes of believers. Amid the scenes of changing and perishing mortality they can look heavenward, and rejoice in the blessed assurance, that in yonder realms of day they have a Friend, who is ever mindful of their highest interest, whose counsel is immutable, whose love is unchanging, whose delights are always with the sons of men. Yes, 'that love for men with which He prayed and died on the cross, ever dwells in His bosom, susceptible of no change, no decay.
'Immutable His will,
Though dark may be my frame,
His loving heart is still,
Unchangeably the same.
My soul through many changes goes,
His love no variation knows!'

On all beneath that celestial inheritance which fades not away, mutability is written. Of the heavens and the frame of the world it is said, 'They shall perish.' Change is the portion of earth and its inhabitants. Alas! who does not know by sad experience how mutable are the conditions of life? Where are many of the friends of our youth? Gone to the land of darkness and forgetfulness. Yesterday they were with us, today they are not. And the friends with whom we are today taking sweet counsel, may, before tomorrow's sun shall set, be torn from us by the unyielding grasp of death. Oh, the instability of all created things! Oh, the vanity of the world! We see an end of all perfection here; but let us not confine our views to earth. Let us look to that blessed world which knows no change; on whose everlasting hills the Sun of Righteousness is always shining. Above all, let us think of the unchanging One there- of 'that same Jesus' who ever lives to plead our cause in the courts of heaven, and who will at length gather us home to Himself, that we may behold the glories of His Person, and enjoy through eternity His unchanging love. His heart knows no change. His love to His people is an everlasting love. 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, with loving-kindness have I drawn you.'

In all ages, past, present, and to come, He is the same great, excellent, and glorious Person. The immutability of Jesus is the blessed source where flow some of our richest hopes and joys. What consolation is here for the mourner in Zion! Is the child of God deprived of near and dear friends by the stroke of death? In Jesus he has a Friend, an Elder Brother, who ever lives, and who ever loves; and he can say of this divine Friend,
'How can I bereaved be,
Since I cannot part with Thee?'

Amid all the vicissitudes and bereavements of earth it is our privilege and our happiness to confide in an unchanging Savior- a Friend that sticks closer than a brother; Jesus, the sinner's Friend. Most cheering is it to hear His voice from the sublime regions of immortal life, proclaiming, 'I am He that lives, I am alive for evermore, Amen.' Oh, let us keep the far-reaching eye of faith continually directed towards our adorable Redeemer; and may the inspiring thought of His immutability fill us with the peace of God, which passes all understanding, and cause us to rejoice in the full assurance of hope unto the end.

DIVINE HONOR AND WORSHIP ARE RENDERED TO THE SAVIOR. This is required in the Scriptures; and it demonstrates His divinity; for certainly He cannot be the proper object of religious worship and honor unless all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him. To worship a being inferior to the great God would be robbing Him of His glory. The command is: 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.' But as Christ, in His divine nature, is the immediate object of all religious honor and worship, as the Bible teaches us, He must consequently be the true God, and worthy of all the adoration and praise of His rational creatures. That divine worship is required in the Scriptures, to be rendered to Him by angels and saints, appears from the following passages: 'When He brings in the first-born into the world, He said, Let all the angels of God worship Him.' 'He is your Lord; and worship Him.' It is the will of the Father, that all men should honor the Son- 'That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son, honors not the Father who has sent Him.'

To the adorable Redeemer every knee is required to bow, and every tongue to confess Him to be Lord. 'Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' We are, therefore, to ascribe to the Savior all infinite, divine excellencies; and to honor Him, according to the will of God, 'even as we honor the Father.' And that He is thus divinely honored no one can reasonably deny. By the angelic host before the throne of heaven He is unceasingly worshiped as God, who is over all, God blessed forever. Paradise is continually resounding with His praise. Isaiah, in his sublime vision of the Savior's glory, beheld the divine honors that are rendered to Him by the angelic hosts of God in that spacious temple not made with hands- the royal mansion of Jehovah. 'I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Hovering around him were mighty seraphim, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they flew. In a great chorus they sang, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory! The glorious singing shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke.'

This glorious Person, whom the seraphim thus worship, is the Lord Jesus Christ, as we are told by the evangelist: 'Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah's glory.' John 12:41. Oh, with what rapture is our blessed Savior adored by all those ministering spirits on high, those morning stars, those sons of God, who sang for joy when the corner-stone of earth was laid, and when the mysterious work of redemption was made known to them! And with what humility do they worship in that high palace of the King of kings and Lord of lords, veiling their faces with their wings, while they tune on harps of gold the praises of Christ, the Lamb, who sits enthroned amid the glories of heaven!

'High on a throne of burnished gold,
With rays of Godhead crowned,
Jehovah sat; His thunders rolled,
And glory sparkled round.
His flowing train of glittering white,
The spacious temple filled;
The angels, dazzled at the sight,
With wings their faces veiled.
Around the throne, in burning row,
The six-winged seraphs stood;
While millions, flying to and fro,
Tuned all their harps to God.
Thrice holy, holy, Lord, they cry,
The God of Sabbath's Thou;
Your glory fills the worlds on high,
And fills the world below.'

The Savior is worshiped by saints on earth. Patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs- the great and good of every age have paid Him homage. Abraham, Lot, Moses, and David worshiped Him. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, prayed to Him amid a shower of stones, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' The dying thief on the cross prayed to Him- 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.' Paul offered up his fervent prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as to God the Father. 'Now God Himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another.' 'Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God our Father, who has loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.' 'For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.' 'Follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.' 'With all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.' 'The same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon Him.' The New Testament closes with a prayer to the Savior; 'even so come, Lord Jesus.'

The Savior is worshiped by the redeemed in glory. And this adoration will continue without interruption through the unceasing ages of eternity. In their songs of praise, the redeemed inhabitants of those blessed mansions in our Father's house, confess the Savior to be Lord, to the glory of God the Father. There, no one withholds from Him that rich revenue of praise which is due to His divine name. All those countless millions who walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem, arrayed in the resplendent robes of salvation, are represented as casting their crowns at the feet of the Lamb in the midst of the throne, and uniting in one sublime, harmonious song of praise to the glorified Redeemer. 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.' 'Unto Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.'

Thus we see, that divine worship is rendered to Christ in heaven and on earth. And in this exercise of religious worship, which has received the approval and sanction of God, we also see the divinity of the Savior and the excellency of His nature most illustriously displayed.
'Worthy the Lamb for sinners slain,
Cry the redeemed above,
blessing and honor to obtain,
And everlasting love!
Worthy the Lamb! on earth we sing,
Who died our souls to save;
Henceforth, O Death, where is your sting?
Your victory, O grave?'

Here, an important practical question may be asked– Are we rendering religious worship to the Savior? Do we adore Him as over all, God blessed forever? Do we Honor Him as our divine Redeemer, by committing the keeping of our souls into His hands, believing that He is able to present us faultless before the throne of the Majesty on high? If we ever hope to admire Him in heaven, we must be willing to honor Him on earth; we must commence the worship of Jesus here, or else we shall never learn the 'new song' of the 'hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.'
'Toil, trial, suffering, still await
On earth the pilgrim throng;
Yet learn we, in our low estate,
The church's triumphant song.

How can we have any satisfactory evidence of our interest in the joys and blessedness of heaven, if we are not, like the redeemed in glory, prostrating ourselves in humble adoration at the feet of Jesus, and giving Him the praise.
'Lord I until I reach that blissful shore,
No privilege so dear shall be,
As thus my inmost soul to pour
In prayer to Thee.'

Oh, that every heart might be drawn by the bands of love to the Lamb of God, and at the foot of the cross adore Him with seraphic ardor for accomplishing the mighty plan of redemption's work. Oh, that every tongue might speak the praises of His divine name, world with out end. 'The humbling of our souls before the Lord Christ, from an apprehension of His divine excellencies- the ascription of glory, honor, praise, with thanksgiving unto Him, on the great motive of the work of redemption with the blessed effects thereof- are things wherein the life of faith is continually exercised; nor can we have any evidence of an interest in that blessedness which consists in the eternal assigning of all glory and praise unto Him in heaven, if we are not exercised unto this worship of Him here on earth.' (John Owen)
May all beneath the sky
Usurp my heart no more;
Oh, be my first, my chief delight,
My soul's unbounded store.

Blessed Jesus, grant unto me the true spirit of prayer; enable me to fix my affections on You, and to seek the things which are above. Oh, may I receive You as my only Savior- as One in whom dwells all the perfections of the Godhead. May I have grace to feel from my inmost soul, that You are worthy to receive all glory, and honor, and power; for you have redeemed us unto God by Your blood. Daily ascribing to You all divine perfections and excellencies, may I pass the days of my appointed time in Your fear, and be prepared for Your service on high. Amid all the tribulations incident to humanity, may I invoke Your aid, and with my last breath, be found, like Stephen, committing my departing spirit into Your divine hands. Oh, then, when the valley of mortality is past, make me a pillar in the temple of God, to go no more out- to surround Your throne with unceasing songs of praise.

Oh! may our praises never cease,
While journeying towards the realms of peace;
Where saints in lovelier accents raise
A never-ending song of praise.'
In You all treasures lie,
From You all blessings flow;
You are the bliss of saints above,
The joy of saints below.
Oh come and make me Yours,
A sinner saved by grace;
Then shall I sing with loudest strains
In heaven, Your dwelling-place.
When standing round the throne,
Amid the ransomed throng,
Your praise shall be my sweet employ
While love inspires my song.'

It must afford the believer the purest and most sublime joy to know that his Redeemer possesses all the perfections of the divine nature; that He is the Creator and Preserver of the universe, and the proper object of religious worship. It is truly animating to be assured by divine revelation, that our salvation has been accomplished by this almighty Deliverer, who is none other than the Lord of glory- the eternal Son of God. We are redeemed to a glorious immortality by the blood of God Himself. 'Feed the church of God, which He has purchased with His own blood.' Established in the faith of Christ Jesus, the Rock of Ages, our final happiness is certain and complete. No one is able to tear us from His arms. 'I will give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall man pluck them out of my hand.'

In the delightful contemplation of our Savior's excellencies we should spend many an hour of our earthly pilgrimage. Oh, how little do we know of His preciousness! If we could see him with the eye of faith in all His beauty and desirableness, the world, with its unsubstantial pleasures, would no longer hold a supreme place in our affection. We would live for a higher object. To promote the divine glory on earth, and to enjoy a triune God in heaven, would be the grand aim of our lives. Oh, then, as we journey towards the shores of an eternal world, let us daily look into the Scriptures, and study Christ in the excellency of His nature and work. The clearer views we have of Him, the more we will admire Him, and the more we will be like Him. Let us labor to have a familiar communion with Him. Let us prefer Him above the world and all its enjoyments. Then we will feel that heaven is our true home, and be prepared for those holy pleasures and employments which are at God's right hand. Let us remember that a great part of the happiness of that 'world of light', will consist in contemplating the excellencies of a divine Savior, and in ascribing praise to Him as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world- as the Author of eternal salvation. Yonder, the heavenly throng will be forever engaged in studying and admiring the infinite perfections, and amazing grace of Him in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

And if we would know more about God, we must look to Christ, by whom He is revealed. 'No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.' How pleasantly would our earthly pilgrimage pass, if by faith we daily studied the character of Christ Jesus, who, to the true believer, is the object of the strongest affection and highest admiration! Oh, may our hearts be more engaged with His incomparable excellencies, viewing Him daily in the glory of His divine nature; in the excellency of His work, in the fullness of His grace, and in the revelation He has made of the character of God; His will respecting us, and His amazing love towards us. If thus exercised all our lives, how peaceful would be our latter end! How willing our departure to be with Christ! How joyful our eternity!

'Jesus, in Your transporting name
What blissful glories rise!
Jesus the angels' sweetest theme!
The wonder of the skies!'

Blessed Savior, may our souls be filled with delight, while meditating on Your divine excellencies, and the wonderful exhibition of Your redeeming grace. May we rejoice in the assurance, that You are the eternal Son of God, equal with the Father in all the perfections of Deity. May we adore You as the Creator of the universe and the Redeemer of the world. May we feel that You are precious in Your Person and in Your work; and prize You above all things. Oh, may our hearts glow with seraphic love to You, our Savior, when we think of Your amazing compassion for sinners, which led You to forsake the bosom of the Father, and the adoration of the heavenly host, for the manger of Bethlehem, and the cross of Calvary! Grant, that we may be favored with many a glimpse of Your glory; that we may know more and more about Your unsearchable riches, until we are fitted for that happy world, where You shall forever appear as the morning Star, the Sun of Righteousness, shining with undimmed splendor. Oh, may we be found daily contemplating You by faith as our divine and exalted Redeemer, rendering unto You all glory, honor, and thanksgiving, until faith is turned into sight, and hope into fruition- until we behold You in the upper Paradise, and praise Your name, with saints and angels, through the vast ages of felicity.

'Jesus, I love Your charming name,
'Tis music to my ear;
Sincerely would I sound it out so loud
That heaven and earth should hear.
Yes, You are precious to my soul,
My transport and my trust;
Jewels to You are gaudy toys,
And gold is sordid dust.
All my capacious powers can wish,
In You do richly meet:
Nor to mine eyes is light so dear,
Nor friendship half so sweet.
Your grace still dwells upon my heart,
And sheds its fragrance there;
The noblest balm of all its wounds,
The cordial of its care.
I'll speak the honors of Your name
With my last laboring breath;
Then, speechless, clasp You in my arms.
The antidote of death.

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