They were led to know that Christ undertook for them in the everlasting covenant, and was to be manifested to take away their sins, which belief influenced them to walk' with God, and before him, unto all well-pleasing.

In each successive period of time, Christ was increasingly revealed. Abraham embraced him as the seed in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed.

Jacob spoke of him as God's salvation, the Shiloh, Shepherd and stone of Israel. Moses by God's appointment directed the people to look on Christ as the antitype of the ceremonial law. Many famous persons, who were raised up as deliverers among the Jews, served as shadows to set forth the high and mighty Saviour.

In the times of David, the saints' know ledge of Christ was greatly increased, and he was raised up, and by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, wrote concerning Jesus, his person, salvation, grace, and glory.

The psalm before us, was wrote by

him to set forth the glories, exellencies, salvation, and kingdom of Jesus Christ. It is entitled a psalm of, or for Solomon; but it refers to the antitypical Solomon.. It is acknowledged by all divines, that Solomon was a type of Christ, in his wisdom and riches, in the peaceableness and extent of his kingdom.

His name signifies peace, Christ is the prince of peace, he is Jedidiah, the beloved of the Lord, in whom dwell all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

*u

Many passages of this psalm could never be applicable to king Solomon, though they are strictly true of Jesus. For instance, he was to be feared so long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. He was to be the Saviour of the soul, the Redeemer of the soul. Prayer was to be made continually to him; daily he is to be praised; men were to be blessed in him; all nations were to call him blessed. All which can only be applied to Christ Jesus. This psalm begins with a prayer, put up by the Old Testament church to Jehovah the Father, on the behalf of Christ. "Give the king

thy judgments O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's Son;" requesting that the God-man, Mediator, might be filled and furnished with every gift and grace, qualifying him for the discharge of his sacred office. It is in fact an expression of faith, that all power in heaven and earth being given to him from the Father, he would be the immediate object of faith and hope, having every ability for the work undertaken by him. He would, as King, Mediator, rule, judge, protect and defend his people, plead their cause, defend and maintain their right, and avenge them on their enemies. Many blessings and gracious acts of his are repeated; and his mysterious incarnation, with the blessings of it are glanced at in verse 6th. "He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth."

He, the essential Word, and consubstantial Son of the Father, came down from heaven by the assumption of our nature into personal subsistence with his person, by which, he who was God became man: and like as the rain comes

from heaven; so Christ came from the heaven of heavens. As the rain hath no father, so Christ was without father as man; as the rain waters and refreshes the earth, so Christ, when he descended, a shower of heavenly blessings watered the church at the same time, and in the communications of himself, his presence, grace and Spirit, he comes down as rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth. The blessed effects of his descent are next described. "In his days shall the righteous flourish; yea, and abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth." Universal peace, in a temporal sense, was in the times of Augustus Cæsar, in which Christ was born, and the temple Janus was shut up as a sign of it. The dominion and extent of Christ's kingdom is next mentioned, which if understood according to the latter, must refer to what is styled latter day glory, when, the whole earth being enlightened with his glorious gospel, "all kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him." Then follow the words of my text; for he shall deliver the

needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper; he shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy."

In speaking from the words, I would sum up the substance of what I intend to propose as the grand subject of our present meditations, in these three propositions.

First, I will consider the great grace of Christ manifested in taking hold of our nature, and becoming incarnate.

Secondly, his ends and design herein.

Thirdly, his infinite mercy and compassion towards poor miserable sinners, as it is expressed in the words before us, in which a descriptive character is given of them. And will close the whole, if the Lord please, with some suitable reflections.

I have proposed to consider, in the first place, the great grace of Christ manifested in taking hold of our nature, and becoming incarnate. This must necessarily lead me to contemplate the person and life of Christ before his incarnation. He is, as personally considered, the