2. Admire the wisdom and love of God in finding out such a remedy and ransom for our souls. It deserveth to be the wonder of all men and angels. The angels stand by, and wonder at what God hath done for us : 1 Tim. iii. 16, ' Great is the mystery of godliness, God mani- fested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels ;' and 1 Peter i. 12, ' Which things the angels desire to look into ; ' and Eph. iii. 10, ' To the intent that now, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' The angels were but spectators, not the parties interested, but yet they pry into this mystery. Oh ! how deeply should our hearts be affected with it.
3. I commend to you the look of faith. Look upon Christ as cruci- fied for you : ' They shall look upon him whom they have pierced,'
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Zech. xii. 10 ; and as ' bearing your sins in his body on the tree,' 1 Peter ii. 24. This is the sight wliich is exposed to the view of your faith. When Pilate had scourged Jesus, he brought him forth to the Jews, saying, ' Behohl the man,' John xix. 5. Or as John pointed as with the finger to Christ : John i. 29, ' Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.'
4. Heartily receive Christ, that he may live in you, and you in him : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; ' and Col. ii. 6, * As j^ou have therefore re- ceived Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.' Receive him with joy and tliankfulness, as the greatest gift that ever could be given you, with a hearty consent of subjection to him.
5. Give up yourselves to Christ as his redeemed ones : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' But first gave their own selves to the Lord ; ' and Rom. xii. 1, ' I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service ; ' and Ps. cxix. 94, ' I am thine, save me.' Give up yourselves to Christ, to be justified, sanctified, saved by him. Our very taking Christ requireth this giving ourselves to him, for we take him as our Lord and Saviour.
How shall we do to be thus lively in the exercise of grace in this duty?
[1.] Beg the assistance of the Holy Spirit. When God's wind ariseth upon the gardens, the spices flow out : Cant. iv. 16, 'Awake, 0 north wind, and come, thou south ; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out ; ' that is, in sweet and refreshing odours. We should provide fresh thoughts, but they will be dead and cold unless the Spirit come in with new and fresh influences. The habits of grace lie asleep till he doth actuate and quicken them. The censers of the sanctuary need not only to l)e filled M-itli incense, but to be set afire, before the perfumed smoke can ascend to heaven in clouds and pillars : Cant. iii. 6, ' Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the powders of the merchant ? ' When the heart is inflamed and love kindled, then do we send out a sweet savour.
[2.] Seriously pi-epare yourselves. Look not for sudden rapt motions when you use not God's means to get your hearts into this frame. There is a watching unto prayer, and a serious examining before re- ceiving. The general preparation is the holy life, for one duty pre- pareth for another ; they that are led by the Spirit . will pray by the Spirit. But there is a special preparation, like trimming our lamps when we go to meet with the bridegroom.
[3.] You must rouse up yourselves, and call upon all that is within you to do its office : Ps. ciii. 1,2,' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name : bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all his benefits.' A man hath some power to awaken his own soul, and stir up himself to heed the work that he is about. You may speak to your hearts ; we must do what we can as reasonable creatures.
[4.] When we have done all, all must be perfumed with the sweet incense of Christ's intercession : Rev. viii. 3, ' And another angel came
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and stood at the altar, having a golden censer ; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the praj^ers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.' Alas ! we mingle weeds with our flowers, and sulphur with our incense ; and our duties, as they come from us, are very unsavoury, and stink in the nostrils of God; not like the odoriferous smell of a precious oint- ment.