Zech. ix. 17. How great is his goodness, and how great is his
beauty I
THE glory of Christ is manifested throughout all the Holy Scriptures. This is attested both by the
Apostles and by our Lord himself3. In the New Testament he shines like the sun in an unclouded atmosphere : in the Old, though generally veiled, he often bursts forth as from behind a cloud with aston- ishing beauty and splendour. Such a view of him is exhibited in the chapter now before usb: nor could the prophet himself forbear exclaiming with wonder and admiration, " How great is his goodness ! " &c.
We cannot have our minds more delisditfullv oc- cupied than in contemplating,
I. The goodness of our Lord —
In the context -he is set forth as the God of provi- dence and grace : and, in order to behold his goodness, we must view him in both respects :
1. As the God of providence —
[As all things were created, so are they upheld and governed by him. To him we owe the preservation of our corporeal and intellectual powers. We are continually fed by his bounty, and protected by his arm. The meanest creature in the universe has abundant reason to adore him. His own people in particular may discern unnumbered instances of his goodness in his dispensations towards them. His most afflictive as well as his more pleasing dispensations afford them much occasion for gratitude and thanksgiving0.]
2. As a God of grace —
[Jesus is the one fountain of spiritual blessings to his ChurcbA Neither Prophets nor Apostles had any grace but from hime. To him we must ascribe every good disposition that is in our hearts f. What reason then have his faithful fol- lowers to bless his name ! How thankful should they be that he called them by his grace ! That he so distinguished them, not only from the fallen angels, but from multitudes of the human race ! With what gratitude should they acknowledge his continued kindness ! Though they have often turned back
a Acts x. 43. Luke xxiv. 27. John v. 39.
b After foretelling the preservation of the Jews amidst the destruc- tion of surrounding nations, the prophet called their attention to Christ, as their lowly but triumphant king (ver. 9.), who should re- deem them by his blood (ver. 11.), be a strong hold to all who should turn unto him (ver. 12.), and save them with an everlasting salva- tion, (ver. 16.)
c Ps. cxix. 75. d Eph. i. 22.
e John i. 16. f Phil. ii. 13. Hub. xii. 2.