Psalms 15:5

REFLECTIONS

READER, here let us sit down, and contemplate our Jesus, the King and Citizen of Zion. First, view his spotless person, in the beauties and loveliness of our nature, holy, harmless, and undefiled, and as such justly entitled to an everlasting residence on the holy hill, in the heavenly tabernacle; and then our right of inheritance also, by virtue of our union with him.

Here is his just and striking, though short description, when he came forth for the salvation of his people. He was to earn the crown before he put it on. He was to manifest the holiness of his nature, before he ascended the holy hill of his everlasting abode: Hence he took upon him our nature, in the purity of that nature, and in that nature was found without guile before God. Not a single thought of his heart was foreign, or in opposition to the law of his Father, Hence he could and did say, I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is in my heart. And as he rejoiced to do the will of his Father, by a perfect conformity to all his precepts, so did he become a willing sacrifice to the breaches of the law which its people had committed, by his death; that, both by doing and by dying; he might recover what man had lost, and open the kingdom of heaven to all believers. And thus it became him, in bringing may sons unto glory, to be all this, and infinitely more, that he might be "the Lord our righteousness."

Now then, Reader, here it is, by virtue of his holiness and purity, that our nature hath recovered the original holiness and purity which our first father lost; and by Jesus alone, a better paradise than Adam forfeited, even an heavenly one in the Zion above, whither, his people are entitled to ascend, and eternally dwell with him. United to him in spirit, by virtue of his Spirit's influences, we are quickened and kept alive in grace, and by and by shall be with him in glory. And although while we carry about with us a body still open to corruption, and daily ripening by corruption for the grave, and as such we feel, at times, the sad breakings out of the remaining foes to our peace lurking within, yet the hour is hastening when this corruption shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality. Hail! thou Almighty Lord! in thy light shall we see light. Be thou our portion while below! Help us to ascend by faith now the holy hill of thy dwelling, and in thy righteousness to contemplate thy person and complete work, until thou shalt bring us home to behold thy glory, and dwell with thee forever. Amen.