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respect to things temporal; much more in those which are spiritual and eternal. It appears particularly with respect to Christ. Hence St. Peter represents him as disallowed of some, but chosen by others. This was designed of God, and agreeable to the prophecies; and it justifies the inference drawn from it in the text.

We shall,

I. Confirm this saying of the Apostle, that Christ is precious to believers

We might suppose that Christ would be precious to all men; but he is not so. Nevertheless he is so

to all that truly believe.

The history of the Old Testament affords abundant proof of this

[Abraham rejoiced to see his day, though at a distance". Job delighted in the thoughts of death as introducing him to his presence. Moses esteemed reproach for his sake. David regarded nothing in earth or heaven in comparison of him. Isaiah exulted in the prospect of his incarnation. All the prophets contemplated him as the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.]

The New Testament Scriptures confirm it

[The Virgin, while he was yet in her womb, sang his praises The angels congratulated the shepherds on his incarnation The just and devout Simeon after seeing him, could depart in peace John Baptist, as the bridegroom's friend, rejoiced in his voice How precious was he to that Mary who was a sinner St. Paul counted all as dung for the knowledge of him, was willing to be bound, or to die for him, and knew no comfort like the expectation of being with him— The glorified saints and angels incessantly adore him"] The experience of living saints accords with that of those who have gone before". The world even

a John viii. 56.

d Ps. lxxiii. 25.

8 Luke ii. 10.

b Job xix. 25—27.

e Isai. ix. 6.

h Luke ii. 29, 30.

c Heb. xi. 26.

f Luke i. 47.

i John iii. 29.

k Luke vii. 38. m Rev. v. 12, 13. This and all the foregoing passages should be cited in whole or in part.

1 Phil. iii. 8. Acts xxi. 13. 1 Thess. iv. 18.

n There are many to whom he is run, preciousness itself; who account him as the pearl of great price, desire to know more of him, grieve that they cannot love him more, welcome every thing that leads to him, and despise all in comparison of him.

wonders at them on account of their attachment to him.

II. Account for the fact, and shew why he is so precious to them—

They have reason enough for their attachment: They love him for his own excellence—

[He is infinitely above all created beauty or goodness. Shall they then regard these qualities in the creature, and not in him? Whosoever views him by faith cannot but admire and adore him.]

They love him for his suitableness to their necessities

[There is in Christ all which believers can want; nor can they find any other capable of supplying their need: hence they delight in him as their "all in all."]

They love him for the benefits they receive from him

[They have received from him pardon, peace, strength, &c. Can they do otherwise than account him precious?]

We may rather wonder why all do not feel the same attachment.

III. Shew why this regard for him is found in them exclusively

There certainly exists no reason on his part; he is good to all. But unbelievers cannot love him: 1. Because they have no views of his excellency[The god of this world has blinded them that they cannot see him°. How then should they esteem him, whose excellency they know not? They must of necessity be indifferent to him, as men are to things of little value.]

2. Because they feel no need of him

[Christ is valuable only as a remedy P; nor can any man desire him as a physician, a fountain, a refuge, unless he feel some disease, some thirst, some danger.]

APPLICATION

[All, who have any spiritual discernment, feel a love to Christ: he is beloved of the Father, of angels, and of saints.

。 2 Cor. iv. 4.

P Isai. xxxii. 2.

None but devils and unbelievers despise him; and shall any, who do not account him precious, be objects of his regard? Surely his final decision will correspond with that declaration 9.Let all then believe in him, that he may become precious to them; nor let any be dejected because they cannot delight in him as they wish. The more we love him, the more shall we lament the coldness of our love. In a little time all the powers of our souls shall act without controul. Then shall we glory in him with unrestrained and unabated ardour.]

q 1 Sam. ii. 30.

MMCCCXCV.

THE DIFFERENT STATES OF BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS.

1 Pet. ii. 7-10. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

THERE is a great and manifest difference put between men in respect to the advantages they enjoy, and the endowments they possess. Some are born to great possessions, while others from their birth experience nothing but penury and want. Some are blessed with a strength of intellect, that qualifies them for the deepest researches; while others are so limited in their capacities, that they can scarcely comprehend the plainest and simplest things. A still greater difference obtains in respect to the opportunities which men have for spiritual instruction. As of old, the light of divine truth was confined to one single nation, so, at this present moment, there is but a small part of the world who hear any thing of Christ, and a very small part indeed to whom the

VOL. XX.

Gospel is preached in its purity. Such being unquestionably the dispensations of God's providence, we must not wonder if a similar exercise of sovereignty appear in the dispensations of his grace. To draw the precise limits, where human agency concurs with the operations of God's Spirit, or where it resists and frustrates them, is beyond our power; but of this we may be well assured, that all evil is from man; all good from God. We shall have strong evidence of this in the passage before us; in which we see the difference that exists between different men, I. In their regard for Christ-

Mankind may be divided into two classes; believers, and unbelievers.

Now of all the things which may serve to distinguish these, there is none more decisive than their different regard to Christ.

To the believer, Christ is "precious"

[We need not enter into all the grounds of a believer's love to Christ suffice it to say, that he feels himself indebted to Christ for all his hopes in this life, and for all his prospects in the next. He has washed in the fountain of the Redeemer's blood, and has been cleansed by it from all sin: he has lived by faith on the Son of God, and has received out of his fulness all needful supplies of grace and peace. Hence he looks upon Christ, not merely as a friend and benefactor, but as a Saviour from death and hell. He esteems him, not only as precious, but as preciousness itself. In comparison of him, all other things are considered as dung and dross ".]

To the unbeliever, Christ is "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence"

[Unbelief and disobedience are. so nearly allied, that they are, in the Greek language, expressed by the same word. Indeed unbelief is the highest act of disobedience; for "this is God's commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son, Jesus Christ"."

To exercise faith on Christ is the duty of all. He is "the stone which is laid in Zion," and on which we are to build all

• τιμή.

b Phil. iii. 8.

canεoεía. Compare Rom. xi. 32. with Eph. ii. 2.
d 1 John iii. 23.

our hopes. But "the builders themselves, the heads of the Jewish Church, rejected him:" and notwithstanding "he is become the head of the corner," "the disobedient" still reject him. It was foretold that this would be the treatment shewn him by the generality: and the event has fully justified the prediction. The grounds indeed on which men reject him, are altered; but their conduct towards him is the same as was observed in the days of old. The Jews were offended at his mean appearance, and his high pretensions; and particularly at his professing to supersede the Mosaic law: and, on these accounts, they crucified him as an impostor. We on the contrary, profess to honour him as the true Messiah; but are offended at the salvation which he has revealed: we think it too humiliating in its doctrines, and too strict in its precepts: we cannot endure to give him all the glory of our salvation: nor can we submit to walk in those paths of holiness and selfdenial which he has trodden before us. On these accounts many reject his Gospel: they cry out against it, as discouraging the practice of good works, as opening the very flood-gates of iniquity, and (strange as the contradiction is) making the way to heaven so strait and difficult that no one can walk in it. Thus, instead of building on Christ as the foundation-stone, they make him only "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence!."]

How far this is to be traced to any antecedent purposes of God, will appear more distinctly, while we mark the difference between them,

II. In their states before God

In the words of the text there is a double antithesis, which is rather obscured by the present translation, but which should be noticed in order to a clear understanding of the passage.

"These (the unbelievers) stumble at the word, being disobedient"

[In what manner they stumble at the word, has been already noticed. We must now endeavour to trace their stumbling to its proper causes.

It is certainly, in the first instance, owing to their own

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The words in Italics, ver. 8. should be left out; and Oi be translated" these." The double antithesis will then be clear :"Yuir, he is precious; ȧelovσ cè, he is a stumbling-block. Oi, these, stumble through their own depravity; 'Yueis dè, enjoy your privileges as a chosen generation.

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