September 25

PART II.—Isaiah 9:6.

As Jesus was wonderful in the constitution of his person, and in his marvellous conception, so also was he distinguished for the wonderful office which he assumed, and the works which he effected. In previous ages, God had separated his servants to various duties and pursuits. Some had filled the prophetical, others the priestly, and others the kingly office. Some were rulers over the people, others teachers, and others the generals, or leaders of their armies. In Christ all these offices centered, on him all these duties devolved. He was emphatically the prophet of the most high God, the priest after the order of Melchisedec, and Zion's great and glorious king. He came to rule over his people, to instruct the ignorant, and to be the illustrious captain of salvation. And he possessed all the requisites for these various offices, and that in the most perfect degree. He was copiously anointed with the Spirit of prophecy, and knew all things. The sacred unction rested on his priestly head, in all its sanctifying plenitude. Wisdom, power, and essential dignity contributed to elevate him as the King of kings, and Lord of lords. His rule was associated with perfect and infallible knowledge, and spotless justice and equity. As

As a teacher, he spake and taught as no man ever else did; he spake with divine authority and power, so that the people were astonished at his doctrine, and exclaimed, "Never man spake like this man." And as the Captain of God's sacred host, he went forth to conflict, and spoiled all his foes, and returned to his throne, as the Bozrah conqueror, terrible to his adversaries, yet mighty to save. O the amazing combination of qualities in our wonderful Redeemer! Greatness and humility, courage and meekness, power and voluntarily assumed weakness, glory and abasement, riches and poverty, holy, wise, omnipotent, and eternal, yet accounted base, utterly worthless, and at last actually despised, and put to death.

"All Hail, mysterious King!

Hail David's ancient root!

Thou righteous branch which thence did'st spring,

To give the nations fruit."

As Jesus is wonderful in his person and offices, so he is also wonderful in the titles by which he is set forth. He is the great, mighty, and only true and wise God. He is the Prince of the kings of the earth — the Lord of armies — the only living and true Potentate — King of kings — Governor of the nations — and Proprietor of the universe. Before him the loftiest seraphs bend, and all the angels of God worship him. The Father speaks of him as his fellow, his eternal delight, and says unto him, "thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." All ascriptions of praise, and blessing, and honor, and power, and glory, and rule, and dominion, are presented to him by the intellectual hosts of glory, incessantly:

Before his feet the countless hosts

Of scraphim do fall,

And, with profoundest awe, unite

To crown him Lord of all.

He is wonderful in all his works; his works are those of true and essential divinity. He hath created all things by the energy of his omnific voice, and he upholdeth all things by the word of his power. Here then Christ appears before us in all the inconceivable greatness and grandeur of his boundless operations and works. Who then can understand his wonderful character, or by searching, find him out to perfection? O the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! And yet in redemption it appears that he has exceeded all his other works, that here has been a mightier and grander display of his essential and infinite perfections; hence, says the poet,

"Our thoughts are lost in reverend awe,

We love and we adore;

The first archangel never saw,

So much of God before."

O yes, in redemption we have not the hidings, but the manifestations of his glory and power; here is not a partial, but a full display of the glories of the divine nature.

"Here the whole Deity is known,

Nor dares the creature guess,

Which of the glories brightest shone,

The justice or the grace."