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I. In the first place the text reminds us THAT INTELLIGENT CREATURES CAN FIND THEIR HAPPINESS AND PERFECTION ONLY IN THE HARMONY OF THEIR WILLS WITH THE WILL OF GOD. But what if the new-made man should abuse his freedom? Who can foresee the consequences? As to his body; what if its hand should pluck forbidden fruit — its tongue utter deceit — all its members become instruments of unrighteousness unto sin? As to the material universe around; what if he should take himself out of harmony with its laws — extracting poison from its plants, and maddening juices from its fruits, and forging its metals into weapons for the slaughter of his fellows? What if he should league with other self-willed beings like himself — league with them solely to augment his power for crushing others, and for openly disowning his allegiance to heaven? Nay, what if, in the progress of man's history, he should come to think of setting up a god of his own? Or worse still — there is a rebel angel at large in the universe — a sworn enemy to the righteous government of God; what if a man should be led captive by Satan at his will? And what if he should complete his degradation and his guilt by calling the worship of his own vices, religion; the thraldom of Satan, liberty? What if here, where the will of God should be done as it is in heaven, the will of Satan should be done instead, as it is in hell?

II. I need not say THAT THIS IS HISTORY — THE HISTORY OF MAN. The hour of trial came; and he fell. A law was given him; and, oh, better had a star fallen from its sphere, and been falling still! he broke away from its sacred restraint — deranged the harmony of his own nature — disturbed the tranquillity of the universe — incurred the penalty of transgression. Mercy spared him, but he relented not; justice threatened him, but he quailed not. Generation followed generation, only to take up the quarrel and widen the breach. The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek after God. Alas I they had all revolted: there was none that did good; no, not one.

III. But even then, WHEN TO ALL HUMAN EYES THE UNIVERSE WAS UTTERLY VOID OF AID, HELP WAS ON THE WAY. Even then, when infatuated man was saying, "We will not have God to reign over us," and was vowing allegiance to Satan, that God was saying, "As I live, I will not the death of the sinner." And even then a voice was heard replying to that purpose, "I come to do it — lo! I come to do Thy will, O My God. Thy will is My will — I delight to do it — it is within My heart." And that voice came from no uncertain quarter — from no angel ranks — it came, if I may say so, from the centre of the Deity, from the mysterious depths of the Triune God. And the world was spared on the ground of that engagement, and the angels of God held themselves in readiness to behold its fulfilment; and Judaea was prepared to be the theatre of the great transaction, and unnumbered eyes were watching for His coming, and unnumbered interests depending on it. But when He comes, what laws will He obey? — what appearance will He assume? What laws? the very laws which man had broken. What appearance? that of the very nature which man had degraded. And when the fulness of time was come, a body was prepared Him — God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. And you know what He proceeded to do. All the powers of that body He placed at the disposal of the will of God. Yes, by His obedience unto death, the will of God was done on earth, as it had never been done even in heaven — done in a manner which makes earth, from its centre to its surface, holy ground — done so as to secure the means of converting even this sin-worn world into a loyal province of the King of kings.

IV. And this brings us to the consideration of these MEANS. DO you ask how the will of the rebellious world is to be brought back into harmony with the will of God?" Not by might, nor by power" — not by coercion and force; "but by My Spirit, saith the Lord" — by My Spirit taking of the things of Christ — taking of His voluntary obedience; taking of His love, and showing how He wept over the infatuation of our disobedience; taking of His mediatorial glory, and showing that He is now seated on a throne to receive our submission, to place us once more in harmony with the will of God, and to assure us of His favour.

1. Now, do you not see that when the will of the penitent is secured, the whole man is secured?

2. Here, then, is a willing agent for God. Wonderful as was the creation of a finite will at first — wonderful as was the introduction into the universe of a second will — here is a greater wonder still — the recovery of a lost will to God-a will which had been led captive by Satan, set at liberty and restored, and once more moving in conformity with God's will. What if he could prevail on other wills to unite with his will — how vastly would that increase his power of serving God!

V. The question naturally arises, then, How is it, if the Divine provision be all complete, and the sanctified human means so well understood — How is IT THAT THE WILL OF GOD IS NOT UNIVERSALLY OBEYED, AFTER THE EXAMPLE OF OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST? Eighteen hundred years have elapsed since He said, "Lo, I come," and the redemption of the world was effected. How then, we repeat, is the present condition of the world to be accounted for? By the state of the Church. Whatever the doctrinal heresies of the day may be, the great practical heresy is that of a defective zeal. They seem to forget, that in praying that the will of God may be done in the world, they are presupposing that it is done already in the Church. We do not say that Christians have made no progress in learning this great lesson. All the success which they have achieved of late years, as a missionary Church, is owing to their partial obedience to the will of God. But partial obedience will only be followed by partial success. They have so far obeyed, that they are shut up to the necessity of obeying still further. God has quickened them; and they have given, and prayed, and laboured as the Church had long ceased to do. Let them copy the devotedness of their Lord, and the work will be done. Ask you for motives to such zeal"

1. Need I remind you that one of these motives is the sublime truth — that the brightest example of obedience which heaven now contains is not an angel form, but He who "learned obedience by the things which He suffered"? He now reigns in the same spirit in which He suffered. Think what He is doing as your representative there, and say, what ought you to be doing as His representatives here? He is doing your will — answering your highest requests — what ought not you to be ready to do in obedience to His will?

2. Need I remind you, as another motive, what a theme it is we have to obey and to proclaim? The merest despot finds ready instruments to do his will.

3. Think, next, of the happy results of the reception of this message, as compared with man's present state.

4. Think, again, how some, influenced by these motives, have copied the devotedness of Christ.

5. And then one motive there is which adds force and solemnity to every other — the fact that He who is the subject and substance of our message, on leaving the world, hath said, "Behold, I come quickly."

(J. Harris, D. D.)

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KJV: Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

WEB: Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you didn't desire, but you prepared a body for me;