that died yea rather that is risen again He is said to be delivered for our offences and to be raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 the Sinners justification was merited by his death but it was manifested by his resurrection thence therefore Faith in its being assured of that priviledge must fetch its main encouragement so that this cannot be the only thing aimed at in his death since it more properly belongs to another Head 3. The old-Testament Saints were high in their assurance and yet they liv'd before the death of Christ 4. His death simply considered gives no such encouragement to faith or ground of assurance consider it indeed as we state it that is as he dy'd in our stead to satisfie God's Justice appease his Father's wrath expiate our sin c. and so 't is highly strengthning to Faith but if you take it in it-self and as our Adversaries state it so there 's but little in it for Faith's advantage What inducement or encouragement would this be to Sinners to believe to set before them the death of Christ unless those Ends and Considerations about it be taken in which our Antagonists oppose without which it would rather draw out mens fear than their faith rather drive them from God than to God for so more of his justice and severity would therein appear to deterre them than of his Mercy to allure and encourage them O did God deal so with his own Son who too was innocent and blameless what then will he do to such vile wretched guilty creatures as we are must Christ so die would not God spare him in the least what then will become of such as we Upon the whole matter the Soc. say Christ's death was not at all intended to be satisfactory to God I 'me sure according to their stating of it 't is not at all consolatory to Sinners 4. They say Christ dy'd for this end that he might have a right and power after his death when he should be in heaven to forgive sin Answ Whilst he was here on earth before his death he had that right or power therefore that could not be any end thereof Matth. 9.2 Son be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven thee and when some murmured at this see how he stood upon the asserting of it Vers 6. That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins c. 5. 'T is said Christ dy'd for this end that he might procure for himself such and such power dignity and glory But to this we say it was so far from being the main end that it was indeed no end at all it being but the Coâ—â—â—â—â—ent not the End of his death see Phil. 2.8 9. These defective Causes and Ends being remov'd it remains that I set down those which were the chief and principal And they were such as these Christ dy'd to be a Sacrifice for Sin Heb. 9.26 10.12 a Ransom 1 Tim. 2.6 Matth. 20.28 a Propitiation 1 Joh. 2.2 to reconcile God to us and us to God Rom. 5.10 2 Cor. 5.19 Eph. 2.13 14. Col. 1.20 c. to deliver us from the curse of the Law by his being made a curse for us Gal. 3 13. to save from wrath to come 2 Thes 1.10 to justifie and make righteous 2 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 5.9 to procure remission of sin by his blood 1 Joh. 1.7 Eph. 1.7 Matth. 26.28 to overcome death by death Heb. 2.14 to purchase eternal life Joh. 6.51 Heb. 9.12 As he dy'd in our place and stead taking our guilt and bearing our punishment so he died for these ends that he might restore us to God's love and favour and expiate all our sins by his making satisfaction for them these were not only Ends but the supream and primary ends of his Death I do not exclude the former provided that 1. they be taken in conjunction with these nay 2. in subordination to them Christ in his dying might intend this and that as his bearing witness c. but his main and principal intendments were satisfaction reconciliation forgiveness of sin c. in the revealing of which the Holy Scriptures are so express and plain that to me 't is very strange that any opposition much more that so vehement opposition should be made against it Good Lord how are Opposers faine to strain their wit to summon in all their invention subtilty for the finding out of some forc'd and pitiful interpretations of the Texts alledged thereby to evade the true sense and meaning of them how do they set these Scriptures and themselves too upon the rack that they may seem to reconcile them with their hypotheses's but all in vain as is abundantly prov'd The vanity falshood of humane Satisfactions 3. Thirdly from hence I infer the vanity and falshood of all humane Satisfactions Was the Lord Jesus himself a Sacrifice for sin and did he thereby condemn abolish expiate all sin for his members then what needs to be done or can be done further by any Creatures in the way of Satisfactions * Eccles 2.12 What can the man do that cometh after the King I cannot but take notice how whoever will engage in these weighty Points he must tread upon thorns and bryars every step he takes no sooner shall he have got off from one Enemy but there will be some other at hand with whom he must encounter also I find it I 'me sure to be so for no sooner have I quit my self of the SOCINIANS but the PAPISTS in a full body make head against me The former would wholly take away Christ's Satisfaction the latter would add Mans to it the One denies the verity the Other the perfection of it For they tell us 't is very true that Christ did fully satisfie the Justice of God by his being a Sacrifice for sin and fully expiate the sins of Believers in respect of their guilt and of the eternal punishment due thereupon but not in respect of temporal punishments these they say they are yet lyable unto notwithstanding all that Christ hath done and suffered and that too not only in the present but for some time in the future state for the preventing or removing of which satisfaction must be made to God either by themselves or by others this is the ROMISH-Doctrine In which so far as I have gone we have falsities enough but should we go farther to their particular explication and stating of the latter branch mens satisfying by themselves or by others what a mass and heap of ungrounded unscriptural absur'd Opinions should we there meet with for there come in their penances fastings pilgrimages corporal punishments voluntary poverty masses and prayers for them who are in Purgatory Indulgences c. O what a big-bellied Error is this of humane Satisfactions what a numerous train of falsities is it attended with Contrary to this we hold that * See the 31 Article of our Church Christ by the once
begat a Son in his own likeness after his image Gen. 5.3 and must it not be so here in the Father's begetting of Christ If Man begets Man then God begets God this being taken in that sense which I laid down in my first entrance upon this Subject I know this will not hold as to all modes and circumstances with respect to which I grant there is a great disparity but as to the conveyance of the same Nature and Essence so far it will hold The Jews therefore Joh. 5.18 argued very well if God was Christ's Father and he God's Son then he was equal with God for such an equality must naturally and necessarily result from such a Relation Joh. 10.36 Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God why doth he say because I said I am the Son of God he should have said because I said I am God for that was the blasphemy charged upon him Vers 33. because that thou being a man makest thy self God but the answer is obvious Christ knew that these were equipollent terms to be God and to be the Son of God are all one if Christ be the one he must be the other too You find Nathaneel breaking forth into this witness concerning him * Joh. 1.49 Thou art the Son of God c. his meaning was thou art God for that which drew this Confession from him was that which was proper to him as God namely his Omnisciency See Joh. 1.48 God and the Son of God are so much one that he who speaks Christ to be the Son of God speaks him to be God also As soon as the Apostle had set down Chri'sts Sunship Heb. 1.5 presently he falls upon those testimonies which relate to his Godhead Vers 6 8 10 11 12. When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Vnto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands They shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail You see how Christ's Sonship is link'd with the Godhead therefore the Argument is good to prove the latter by the former And indeed as his being the Son of Man doth most evidently evince him to be truly Man so his being the Son of God doth as evidently evince him to be truly God The Second Inference that Christ is a great a glorious Person 2. Is Christ God's own Son I infer surely then he is a very great and glorious Person such a relation cannot but be the foundation of great glory Though Christ's dignity and preheminence is not the gróund of his Sonship yet his Sonship is the ground of his dignity and preheminence He is stiled a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 not only because of the greatness of his Sacerdotal Office but also because of the greatness of his Person who doth manage that Office he being God's own Son therefore it follows seeing we have a great high Priest c. Jesus the Son of God 'T is no small honour amongst us to be the son of some great man O what an honour is it to Christ to be the own and only Son of the great God! It puts a marvailous glory and greatness upon the Saints that they are the adopted Sons of God upon the Angels that they are the created Sons of God but what is this to Christ's being the natural only begotten Son of God herein and hereby he hath obtained * Heb. 1.4 a more excellent name than either Angels or Men for †Col. 1.18 in all things or amongst all persons he must have the preheminence The higher and nearer the relation is to God the higher and greater is the glory which accrews to a person standing in that relation now what relation to God can be higher and nearer than this of Christ as he is his own Son therefore his glory must needs be exceeding great O let not any entertain low thoughts of him who is thus the Son of God The Lord Jesus is the Father's best Son for Gifts Grace Holiness c. and he 's the Father's greatest Son for Dignity Glory and Majesty I say he 's the Father's best Son how short do all Sons come of this Son we read of * Micipsa in Salust Ne ego meliores Liberos sumpsisse videar quam genuille One who fear'd he might seem to adopt better Sons than those whom he begat there 's no such thing to be imagin'd with respect to God to be sure his only begotten Son shall infinitely exceed all his adopted Sons for God hath anointed him with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Psal 45.7 And he 's the greatest Son too for God hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come Eph. 1.20 21. True indeed this great Son for a time * Phil. 2.7 emptied himself of his glory and for our sake submitted to great abasement but yet even then in himself he was very high and glorious he who cloathed himself with our raggs put on our flesh condescended to lie in the manger to die upon the cross he even under all this was the proper Son of God and therefore full of glory And 't is very notable to consider how in Christ even when he was under his lowest abasement when this Sun was hid under the thickest cloud I say how even * Infantia parvuli ostenditur humilitate cunarum magnitudo altissimi declaratur vocibus Angelorum similis est rudimentis Hominum quem Herodes impius molitur occidere sed Dominus est omnium quem Magi gaudentes veniunt supplicitèr adorare Leo Magn. Ep. ad Flavian Ep. Const Najanzen Orat. 35. tom 1. p. 375. instances in several particulars about this and very clegantly enlarges upon them then there were some beamings out and breakings forth of his glory suitable to this his relation he 's laid in the manger but there the Wise men come and worship him he 's tempted by Satan but then the Angels minister unto him he 's crucified but then the vail of the Temple was rent the earth quaked the rocks were rent the graves open'd the Sun stepp'd in and hid it self as being asham'd to be seen in its glory when the far brighter Sun was under such an Eclipse upon all which the Centurion might well cry out truly this was the Son of God But what a person is
1 Cor. 1.29 and so the word is frequently used there to represent the whole manhood of Christ so Joh. 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 Heb. 10.20 1 Pet. 3.18 passim When therefore 't is said God sent his Son in Flesh you are thus to conceive of it that Christ did not only take Flesh but that with it he took the whole Nature of Man that he was as truly so compleatly Man consisting of Flesh and Spirit Body and Soul yea that he assumed the entire Humane Nature with what-ever is proper to it two things only being excepted of which by and by In this extent and latitude you are here to take the word Flesh a part being put for the whole 3. Although it be said God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh yet we must distinguish between the Mission the Incarnation They differ in their Order Christ being first sent and then incarnate as also in the place where each was done for the mission was above but the incarnation was here below This I take notice of that I may the better clear up that ambiguity which seems to be in the expression which some among the Antients not understanding aright runn'd themselves upon very erroneous Opinions For it being said that God sent his own Son in the likenss of sinful Flesh they from hence inferr'd that Christ came from Heaven actually clothed with Flesh that his Body was immediately created there and that from thence he brought it down with him hither and to take in another of their * The first broachers of which were Apollinaris Valentinus c. Of and against whom see Najanz ad Nectarium Athan. de Incarn Christi tom 1. p. 619. 1083. Haeresy's that it was of such a nature as that it only pass'd through the Virgins womb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as water through a pipe or as light through a glass But you are not to give way to these apprehensions the true meaning of the Words being this Christ was sent in the likeness of Flesh not that he had it before he was on earth but it was his Father's Will for the fulfilling of which he sent him that he should descend and here below assume Flesh so that though the Apostle expresses it by being sent in the likeness c. yet his meaning is rather to or for or in order to the likeness of sinful flesh this was not done before-hand just at his sending but this was to be subsequent upon it in its proper time and place And Earth was that place where this stupendious mystery of a Christ incarnate did commence there was the attiring House where he put on his mean and mourning dress 't was in the Virgin where his Body was so curiously and so wonderfully wrought When he ascended he carried up his Body from Earth to Heaven but when he descended he did not bring down his Body from Heaven to Earth the foundation of his being incarnate was laid above in the purpose and command of the Father with respect to which he 's said to be sent in the likeness c. but his actual assumption of Flesh was done here below True he saith Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven and Joh. 6.62 What if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before but this you are to understand as spoken only upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communication of Properties that being here attributed to Christ in one Nature as the Son of man which was only proper to him in the other as the Son of God 'T is also said of him that the second man is the Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15.47 but that you are to take not as referring to the matter and substance of his body as if he brought that from heaven but only as pointing to his descent from heaven and the miraculous formation of his body here on earth And whereas Some speak as you heard of Christ's Body being immediately created and but passing through the Virgin as water through a pipe the falsity of that Opinion is very notorious for the Scripture plainly tells us that it was produc'd in another way that he was conceiv'd and born of the Virgin that the production of his substance was of Hers though in an extraordinary manner therefore 't is said Mat. 1.18 she was found with child of the holy Ghost and Vers 20. that which is conceiv'd in her is of the Holy Ghost and Luke 1.35 that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God and Elizabeth speaks of Christ as the fruit of her womb Luk. 1.42 and Paul sayes he was made of a woman Gal. 4.4 not made in a woman but of a woman From all which Texts two things are evident Of these things reade Tertull. in his excellent Treatise de Carne Christi p. 374. 1. that though the formation of Christ's Flesh was extraordinary and miraculous yet it was not immediately created especially not in heaven 2. that the Virgin Mary had a proper causality in the production of Christ's Body and therefore was not a meer pipe through which it did only pass 4. This sending of Christ in the likeness c. was not his assuming of a meer humane shape or his apparition only in the shape and form of a man but it was the real assumption of the humane Nature consisting of Soul and Body There 's a vast difference betwixt Christ's incarnation such apparitions as those which we have instances of in the Old Testament and that too not only with respect to the appanitions of Angels but also of Christ himself for it might easily be proved that 't was he who appear'd to Abraham Gen. 18.13 14 17. to Jacob Gen. 32.24 to Moses Exod. 3.2 compar'd with Acts 7.30 c. 35. But now his incarnation was a quite other thing for in that there was not the taking of man's shape but of man's nature not the taking of it so as to lay it down again after a short time as was in apparitions but so as to keep it and continue in it for ever The Apostle cry's out 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh c. but had there been in that nothing more than a meer apparition of Christ in Flesh or in humane shape the thing had not been so strange that he should make such a mystery of it for he knew this was very common therefore there must be more in it than so To convince us of the truth and reality of Christ's Flesh in opposition to all phantasms and meer apparitions the Scripture speaks of him not only as appearing Mal. 3.2 Who shall stand when he appeareth 2 Tim. 1.10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ c. Heb. 9.26 Once in the end of
very mysterious Nature but the greatest mystery of all is that there should be such a mystery I mean that there should be such a thing for such poor creatures O consider you who sometimes were * Eph. 2.13 a far off even you are made nigh not only by Christ but to Christ you who were so far from being in Christ that you were even * 1 Joh. 5.19 in the wicked one and in him you did lie even as the carnal world doth yet you are now under a blessed conjunction with Christ You who by nature * Rom. 11.17 were grafted into the wild Olive are now grafted into and made partakers of the root and fatness of the Olive tree O incomparable transcendent mercy That so great a person as Christ the * Joh. 3.16 only begotten Son of God * Rom. 9.5 God blessed forever * Heb. 1.3 the brightness of his Fathers glory should stoop so low as to be made one with dust and ashes that you who are no better than worms which crawl on the earth should be joyned to so glorious an Head that he who did at first assume your Nature into so near an union with himself should afterwards take your Persons also and mystically unite them to his own person that it should not only be * Matth. 1.23 God with you but God in you and you in God O how will you be able in some suitable manner to bless God and Christ for such unconceivable astonishing Love as this is This being in Christ as a limb and part of him here on earth will certainly bear a great share in your highest thanksgivings and Hallelujahs when you shall be with him in Heaven To get the Vnion more cleared up 2. Endeavour after a further clearness in this Vnion This I would urge 1. With respect to the Nature of the thing 2. With respect to your Personal interest in it First get the thing it self more and more cleared up that your knowledge of it may be more full and more distinct Some further Head knowledge about it would not be amiss It 's a mystery that very mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations but 't is now made manifest to the Saints to whom God hath made known the riches of the glory of this mystery which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory as the Apostle sets it forth Col. 1.27 now is it a mystery which hath been hid so long but is now revealed in the Gospel and shall we not labour after a clearer light about it It being a priviledge that is common to all Believers there being also such a revelation of it 't is to be lamented that it is no better understood by us 'T is true in this life we cannot hope fully to comprehend it yet we might know much more of it than generally we do Paul speaks of * Eph. 3.19 the love of Christ as passing knowledge and yet he prayed for the Ephesians that they might know it i.e. that they might know as much of it as was possible though all could not be known the same I say concerning the Mystical Vnion But chiefly In the Second place labour to be more clear as to your personal interest in it Are not many of God's people very much in the dark about this often questioning with themselves whether they be in Christ or not Is it better with you have you assurance of your spiritual conjunction with Christ As you value your comfort your inward settledness and establishment take pains after this assurance so as that with the Apostles evidence and confidence you may be able to say * 1 Joh. 5.20 we are in him that is true Could you but once arrive at this how great would your rejoycing be I have told you 't is a sad thing for a man to get no higher than a peradventure with respect to Non-condemnation now the assurance of that depends upon the assurance of Vnion The Apostle would have Christians know distinctly how the case stands with them in reference to their being in Christ and Christ's being in them 2 Cor. 13.5 Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates In order to this assurance you must pray much for the Spirit 's witness for that Spirit which promotes it doth also discover and give the evidence of it The objective evidence you may have in your selves viz. Grace in the heart the new Creature Faith c. but the subjective evidence you will not have till the Spirit by a divine irradiation doth make out the thing to you To maintain the Vnion 3. Are you in Christ O maintain and keep up your Vnion with him this is the abiding in him which he himself speaks so much of Joh. 15.4 Abide in me and I in you so v. 5 6 7 't is not enough to be in Christ unless you abide in him You 'le say is not the Union indissoluble that which shall never cease I answer yes it is so yet you may do that which may tend to the dissolving of it though through Grace it shall not actually dissolve it and you may do that which may utterly deprive you of the sense and evidence and comfort of it though the thing it self shall remain firm and sure it concerns you therefore upon these accounts to be very careful Wherein why do not sin willingly and knowingly against God and do not abate in your constant and fervent performance of duty for these things strike at the Union at the untying of that knot which God hath tyed so fast And if it should once come to that what would become of you No sooner is the branch broken off from the root but it immediately withers and dyes could you imagine a Believer to be broken off from Christ but for one moment what a withering dying person would he be O Sirs your life strength fruitfulness comfort your all is in Christ and secured by your Union with him if that should fail all would fail do nothing therefore to endanger it Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me v. 5. he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim à me separated from me so Beza renders the word ye can do nothing So long as you preserve your Union you 'l be strong strong to do and strong to suffer but if you once make a breach upon that you 'l be no better than Sampson when his * Judg. 16.19 strength was departed from him what is the cutting off the hair to divulsion and separation from the head 4. Improve your Vnion with Christ To improve it Are you in him you should always be drawing and deriving from him So the member doth from the head and
needs upon this be excellent and glorious The excellency of persons and things is to be measured by their appropinquation or approximation to that which is most excellent then the Saints are the * Psal 16.3 excellent in the earth because they are so near to Christ the center of all excellencies How was the humane Nature advanc'd and dignifi'd even above the Angelical Nature when it was so nearly united to the Godhead as the woman of mean descent is when she is match'd into some great family And hath not Christ highly advanc'd your persons too by taking them into so close so intimate an union with himself 'T was accounted honour for Esther to be taken into Ahasuerus's Royal Bed 't was a far greater honour to her to become his wife but this is nothing to the honour which Christ hath put upon you in his joyning and marrying of you to himself O let him first be adored who hath thus eâ—aâ—â—â—d poor worms and then you should know how to judge of your selves according to the advancement and dignity conferred upon you by your being in Christ As to your Being and Order the Angels are above you * Psal 8.5 Thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels but as Christ hath assumed your Nature and not theirs and hath thus nearly united your Persons to himself so they are a little nay a great deal lower than you Let there be no pride or sinful self-exaltation in you yet know how to put a right estimate upon your selves according to your advancement by Grace The Saint in his rags is greater than the Sinner in his robes for the one is in Christ and the other is not and that puts a superlative glory and excellency upon him Believers being in Christ they are safe 2. Are you in Christ Jesus then as your dignity is great so your safety is great too You need not fear the greatest dangers which threaten you upon your being in Christ even in the * Psal 23.4 valley of the shadow of death you are safe The Evils you dread are either temporal and external or spiritual internal and eternal you are secure against all That special providence which is over you secures against the first and that special Grace which is in you and towards you secures against the last * Isa 4.5 Vpon all the glory shall be a defence You upon your Vnion are a part of this glory for it points to persons as well as things therefore there 's a defence upon you to keep off whatever might hurt you You are not meerly a part of Christ through your conjunction with him but you are in regard of his special and tender affection as * Zech. 2.8 the apple of his cye and will he not guard the apple of his eye He that is in this Ark must needs be safe in the greatest deluge The Evil of Evils is eternal condemnation but what saith the Text There is no Condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus How can they perish who are one with Christ will he suffer persons so united to him to be miserable so long as 't is well with the Head shall it not be well with the Members also In the Body Natural the Head may be safe and yet some of the Members may perish but in the Body Mystical 't is otherwise where all the members are safe in the head and as safe as the head it self O Believers you may with courage look the greatest dangers evils in the face as knowing that none of them shall ever reach you much to hurt you because you are so strongly engarrison'd in Christ But more of this in the last branch of Comfort Christ sympathizes with those who are in him 3. Are you in Christ Jesus Here 's Comfort for you Vpon your union with him he sympathizes with you in all your afflictions and looks upon all done to you as done to himself I say Christ sympathizes with you in all your afflictions for he 's a sympathizing compassionate tender-hearted Saviour as you read Heb. 4.15 Heb. 5.2 As there is by virtue of the Vnion a mutual sympathy betwixt the Head and the Members the Husband and the Wife so 't is here 'twixt Christ and you * Isa 63.9 in all your afflictions he is afflicted He that * Isa 53.4 bore your griefs when he was on earth really and properly he bears them still now he is in heaven in a way of sympathy Further I add he hath a tender sense of what is done to you and looks upon it as done to himself and no wonder since he and you are but One. He that touches you touches the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 * Sic vocem pedis suscipit Lingua clamat calcas me in membris Christi Christus est August in Ps 30. Saul Saul why persecutest me Act. 9.4 When the Saint is persecuted Christ himself in him is persecuted As if any kindness or love be shown to Believers Christ looks upon it as done to himself Matth. 25.40 Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it to me So if any unkindness be shown to them Christ looks upon it as done to himself O that Enemies would be quiet and let God's people alone and fear to wrong or injure them for they are so united to Christ so incorporated with him that they who strike at them do through them strike at Christ himself Will certainly supply them in all their wants 4. Are you in Christ He will then most certainly supply you in all your wants In temporal wants fear not Christ will provide will he suffer that body to starve which he hath united to himself You are full of anxious thoughts what ye shall eat and drink what ye shall put on Christ would have you * Matth. 6.26 take no thought about these things your bodies being in union with him he 'le look after them so that they shall not want what is necesiary O Believer hath Christ thus admirably joyn'd thee to himself and will he deny thee a little meat and drink and cloathing And then as to spiritual wants in those Christ will supply too Every member in the body from this head shall receive that grace life strength that is proper for it The root supplies every branch with what it needs Christ will do the same to every believing Soul and this is part of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that supply of the Spirit which you read of Phil. 1.19 This union is operative and communicative if thou beest in Christ thou shalt most surely have from him * Rom. 12.3 that measure of Grace and Comfort which he sees best for thee Every Lamp in the Golden-candlestick was supplied from the two Olives Zec. 4.12 and so every particular member of Christ is and shall as need requires be supplied from him The Apostle tells us 1 Tim.
life nay should God leave him to his liberty to make his own choice and fully assure him of his future blessedness let his choice be what it would yet he would chuse to live the spiritual rather than the carnal life was there no Heaven nor no Hell yet the sincere Christian would be for holy walking because of that excellency and intrinsick goodness which he sees in it 2. Walking after the Spirit is pleasant delightful comfortable walking that which begets true peace solid joy unspeakable comfort in the Soul The more spiritual a man is in his walking the greater is his rejoycing O * Psal 119.165 what peace have they who thus walk The Flesh must not vye with the Spirit about true comfort men exceedingly mistake themselves when they look for pleasure delight and satisfaction in a fleshly course alas 't is not there to be had It s very sweet is bitter there 's gall and wormwood even in its hony * Prov. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness It promises indeed great things but it falls exceedingly short in its performances eminently it doth so in its promises of joy and comfort True peace is onely to be found in a holy course Rom. 8.6 To be spiritually minded is life and peace life hereafter peace here 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet always rejoycing 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimoâ—â— of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world There 's no comfort like to that which attends * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. l. 1. c. 9. holy walking the true Christian would not for a world exchange that joy which he hath in his Soul in and from Meditation Prayer the Word Sacraments Promises mortification of sin holiness communion with God the hope of glory for all that joy which the Sinner hath in the way of sin and in his sensual delights Would you have the * 1 Pâ—t 1 8. joy which is unspeakable the * Phil. 4.7 peace which passeth all understanding the * Job 15.11 consolations of God which are not small O walk after the Spirit Men have false notions of Religion which experience must confute the Devil belies and misreports the ways of God as if a godly life was a sad pensive melancholly life pray try and then judge be perswaded to fall upon this heavenly course and then tell me whether * Prov. 3.17 wisdomes ways be not ways of pleasantness and all her paths peace Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches The Flesh is outdone by the Spirit if it gives some outward flashy joy the Spirit with advantage gives inward solid abiding joy should not this allure you to walk after it We always love to walk where our walking may be most pleasant and delightful surely to walk with God to live in communion with Father Son and Spirit to be taken up in the contemplation and fruition of heavenly things to be always sucking at the breasts of the Promises to act in the daily exercisâ— of Grace I say surely this must needs be pleasant and delightful Walking indeed And the Spiritual Walker hath not onely this peace and satisfaction whilst he lives but in a dying hour too he is full of comfort O the Soul-chearing reflexions which he then can make upon an holy life O that heart-exhilerating prospect which he hath of the World to come whether he looks backward or forward all administers ground of rejoycing to him Is it thus with the Sinner the Sensualist alas 't is quite otherwise when Death comes and lays his cold hands upon him what bitter pangs of Conscience doth he feel what dreadful terrours do sill his Soul how doth the sense of Judgment and Aeternity strike him with astonishment All his sensual Comforts do now fail him and he did not live so full of joy but he dyes as full of sorrow This shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lye down in sâ—rrow Isa 50.11 but Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 3. This is blessed Walking for it evermore ends in salvation It doâ—â— not onely at present evidence Non-condemnation and Vnion with Christ but it assures of Heaven and certainly brings to Heaven at last Holiness and Happiness never were never shall be parted Every motion hath its terminus or end the End of this motion or walking is eternal rest Rom. 8.13 If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Gal. 6.18 He that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousness is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death so that if you will be perswaded to enter into and to hold on in the way of the â—pirit it will infallibly lead you to eternal life and what can be spoken higher The sum of all is this I here set * Jer. 21.8 life and death before you if the One will not allure you to an holy heavenly conversation nor the Other deter you from a sinful carnal conversation I have then no more to say but surely such as have any sense of God of the worth of the Soul and of the things of the world to come they will resolve for the spiritual life * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athenag Leg pro Christian p. 35. Athenagoras in his Apology for the primitive Christians states their practice thus If saith he we did believe that we should onely live the present life there might then be some room for suspicion that we might be as wicked as others indulging flesh and blood and drawn aside by covetuousness and concupiscence but we know that God is privy not onely to all our actions but to all our thoughts and words that he is all light and sees what is most hid in us and we are fully perswaded that after this life we shall live a much better life with God in Heaven and therefore we do not live as others do whose life will end in Hell fire O that we could as easily draw men to the heavenly life as we can apologize for those who live it or set down the grounds and reasons why they live it And now you who are Flesh-followers will nothing prevail with you shall all these Considerations be ineffectual will you yet persist in your fleshly course though an Angel with a drawn sword stands before you to stop you in your evil way yet * Numb 22.22 Balaam-like will you go on will you set your selves in a way that is not good as the wicked are described Psal 36.4 are you at that language * Jer. 18.2 We will every one walk after our own devices and we will every
say yet lies upon the Law Be you who you will Believers or unbelievers regenerate or unregenerate the Law is of marvellous use to you 'T is a rule to all whether they be good or bad and as so none are exempted from it as is by several Divines sufficiently proved against the Antinomists and it hath too very good and useful effects upon all whether called or uncalled Saints or Sinners Our Apostle who here doth so much depress the Law in respect of Justification doth elsewhere in other respects speak much of its usefulness Rom. 3.19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God Rom. 7.7 What shall we say then is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Gal. 3.19 24. Wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise was made and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator Wherefore the Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith I must not launch out into this vast Ocean you have variety of * Taytor's Reg. Vitae Burg. Vind. Legis Boltons Bounds c. Baxter in several Treat with divers Others Facessat longè ex animis nostris profana ista Opinio Legem non este regulam Est enim inflexibilis vivendi regula Calvin Treatises upon this Argument namely to prove that the Law is still a Rule and still very useful in those great effects which have been mentioned I refer you to them for further satisfaction This I only touch upon as it lies in my way both that I may prevent dangerous mistakes and also shew you how you are to carry it towards the Law O let it be highly esteemed reverenced honoured by you yea bless God for it for though indeed 't is weak and unprofitable as the Covenant of Works yet as 't is a Rule and as it produces such effects upon the Conscience so 't is of great use and highly beneficial So much for the 2d Vse Thirdly Use 3. Was the Law thus unable to do for the Sinner what was necessary to be done then never look for Righteousness and Life from and by the Law For as to these it cannot do your work unless you could do its work it cannot justifie or save you unless you could perfectly obey and fulfil it O pray expect little from it nay nothing at all in this way you cannot answer its expectations and it cannot answer yours It highly concerns every man in the world to make sure of righteousness and life but where are these to be had only in Christ in the way of believing not in the Law in the way of doing We would fain make the Law stronger than indeed it is and 't is natural to us to look for a righteousness from it because there was our righteousness at first and that suits best with the pride of our hearts Man is not so averse to the Law in point of obedience but he is as apt to rest upon the Law for Heaven and Happiness if he can but do something which the Law requires O this he looks upon as a sufficient Righteousness and as a good Plea for Heaven Especially when Conscience is a little awakened then the poor Creature betakes himself to his doing to his obedience to the Law and this he thinks will do his work till God lets him see his great mistake As 't is * Hos 5.13 said When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judab saw his wound then went Ephraim to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb yet could he not heal you nor cure you of your wound just so 't is with the convinced Sinner in reference to the Law both as to his practise and also as to his success I would not be mistaken in what I have said or shall further say as if I did design to take off any from Obedience to the Law God forbid all that I aim at is only to take men off from trusting in that obedience and from leaning upon that as their Righteousness We should be doers of the Law for * Rom. 2.13 not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified yea we should go as far as ever we can in our endeavours after a Law-righteousness for though that be not sufficient to justifie us before God yet that must make us righteous in his eye * Vide Burg. of Justif 2d p. Serm. 22. p. 215. as to qualitative and inherent righteousness and so we are to understand that Text with many others of the same import * Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us But yet when we have gone the furthest the Righteousness which we are to rely upon is only the Gospel Righteousness or the imputed Righteousness of the Lord Jesus if we take up with any thing short of that we are * O nos miseros si vel tantillum nostra salus basi tam infirmá nitatur Beza in 1 Joh. 1.8 miserable and lost for ever As to the Law is it thus weak or rather are you thus weak and yet will you bottom your expectation and confidence there can you fulfil or satisfie it in its demands of perfect personal universal constant Obedience If you cannot then which nothing more certain it can never then do your business nay upon the least failure it will be your enemy to plead against you for the non-performance of its Conditions and so though it cannot as a Friend do you much good yet as an Enemy it can and will do you much hurt What a sad case is the legalist in the Law condemns him because he doth no more obey and the Gospel condemns him because he doth no more believe he 's lost on every hand O this is woful And yet how many precious Souls split themselves upon this rock millions of men look no higher than the Law that is the foundation upon which they build their confidence for Life and Salvation Could we but get into them and be privy to the Grounds of their Hope we should find that 't is not Christ and Faith in him but the Law and some imperfect Obedience thereunto upon which they bottom they deal honestly wrong no body live unblameably make some external Profession perform such duties are thus and thus charitable to the poor c. and hereupon they are confident of their Salvation Now I deny not but that these are very good things I wish there was more of them yet when any rest in them or upon them for Righteousness and Life they set them
his own Son in the likeness c. O the infinite Love Mercy Compassion of God! The weaker was Gods Law the stronger and higher was Gods love O that he should not let us all perish under the Laws impotency that he should imploy One for our recovery who was every way able to do what the Law could not how should we adore his mercy in this But this leads me to the following words in the Text God sent c. where I shall have occasion more fully to press this duty upon you So much therefore for this First Branch of the Words What the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh ROM 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh c. CHAP. X. Of Christ's Mission and of God's sending him Man being utterly lost upon the terms of the Law it pleased God to find out and to pitch upon another Way which he knew would be effectual That was the sending of his own Son c. Four things observed in the Words All reduced to three Observations Of Christs Mission How be was sent and sent by God It notes his Praeexistence before his Mission and Incarnation his Personality his being distinct from the Father 'T is opened First Negatively 1. 'T was not Christ's ineffable and eternal Generation 2. 'T was not any local Secession from his Father Secondly Affirmatively 'T was 1. Gods preordaining of him to the Office and Work of a Mediator 2. His qualifying and fitting of him for that Office and Work 3. His authorizing and commissionating of him to engage therein 4. His authoritative willing of him to assume mans Nature and therein so to do and so to suffer 5. His trusting of him with his great designs How was this Sending of Christ consistent with his equality with the Father this answered Two wayes Why was Christ sent answered first more Generally then more Particularly in Four things Use 1. To stir up persons 1. To admire God 2. To admire in special the Love of the Father 3. To love Christ 4. To imitate Christ with respect to his Sending 5. Not to rest in the external Sending of Christ 6. To believe on him whom God hath sent Use 2. This is improved for the Comfort of Believers The Law being weak God pitch'd upon another Course He Sent his Son THe Laws impotency and weakness nay utter inability to recover justifie and save the lost Sinner hath been spoken to I go on to that which thereupon the Wise and Gracious God was pleas'd to do And what was that why to the praise of his glorious grace he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh The Great God is never at a loss if one Means fails he hath another if all Means fail which fall within the view of the Creature yet God hath his secret reserves and that under the deck which shall no the work Upon Adams Sin all Mankind was lost plung'd into a woful abysse of misery obnoxious to eternal wrath and accordingly God might have dealt with them in the utmost severity of his Justice What is there now to prevent this to give any relief to man in this deplorable State Alas the Sinner cannot help himself the Law stands with a withered arm and can do nothing there 's no Creature in heaven or earth to interpose as to all of these the case was desperate Therefore God * Deus Solus in hâc intricatâ causâ poterat prospicere remedium Streso himself engages to let the world see what He could do * Isa 63.3 He looked and there was none to help therefore his own arm brought Salvation Here indeed was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a God helping at a dead lift in the greatest streights and in the most admirable manner If ever with reverence be it spoken infinite Wisdom was put to it now was the time yet even in this intricate and perplexed State of things That found out a Way which would do the business a Way which none could have thought of but God alone he sent his own Son c None could cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this but God himself this was his alone invention and contrivance The restoring of fal'n man was impossible to the Law yet it shall be done God will take * Noluit proptereà quod Lex imbecillis erat per praritatem humanae naturae opus salutis humanae abjicere quasi non posset per aliam quod ista Legis via non succedebat efficere Musc another strange and wonderful Course which shall do it effectually what his own Law cannot do his own Son can therefore him hee 'll send A very high and costly Way yet rather than all mankind shall perish God will make use of it here 's the very mirror of the Wisdom Love Grace Pity of the blessed God God sending his own Son c. Of the Reading of the words To make the Sense run more smoothly Some turn the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reading the Words thus God sent his c if the following Conjunctive particle And be kept in this Reading is not much amiss Some render it in the * Dictio interpretata Mittens Participium est c. et propterea ad servandum Participium Tempus aliqui Interpretes verterunt rectè Activum in Passivum legendo sic Deus filio suo misso in Carne Cajet Passive form Deus misso Filio suo c. * Duplex est Hebraismus unus est óportet supplere Latine Ideò Alter quia Participium Mittens ponitur loco Verbi Misit Tolet. Some would put in the word Ideò therefore Since the Law was weak through the flesh therefore God sent his own Son and for sin c. but as to these things there 's no great difficulty In the whole Paragraph you have Their Division into Four Parts 1. The Act or the Thing done namely the Sending of Christ 2. The Person whose Act this was or the Person sending viz. God the Father God sent c. 'T is a known Rule when the Name or Title of God is set in contradistinction to the Son 't is then taken not Essentially but Personally for the First Person God the Father instances of which are very common 'T is here said God sent his own Son therefore it must be understood of God the Father Christ being his Son and upon that consideration he being stiled the Father And * Mr. Perkins on Galat. 4.4 p. 271. this Person is called God not because he partakes more of the Godhead than the Other Persons Son and holy Ghost do but because he is the first in the Order of the Three Divine Persons and because he is the beginning of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but hath no beginning of his own Person for he doth not receive the Godhead in the Personal consideration of it
his mercy to Sinners he had gracious purposes in himself towards Man and whereas all mankind lay before him in an undone and ruin'd condition he would not leave them to perish eternally in that condition Then supposing this which cannot be deny'd God must send something must be done or else these gracious purposes of God will be lost and all men must inevitably perish for ever For as to all Other Wayes the Sinners Case was desperate with respect to them there was no hope or help some new and strange course must be taken or else as things stand on the Creatures part there 's nothing to be look'd for but hell and damnation Now things being brought to this pass therefore God will send yea he will send his own Son for hee 'l be sure to pitch upon a Way which shall infallibly and effectually do the work Observe it in the Text when or because it was impossible for the Law to do then or therefore God sent his Son since neither the Law nor any thing else could operate to any purpose towards the advancing of God's Honour and the promoting of the Sinners good it was necessary in order to these great Ends that God himself should interpose in some extraordinary way which thereupon he accordingly did in the sending of Christ But more particularly let us take it for granted that there was a necessity of Sending yet why did God pitch upon his Son and send him might not some Other Person have been sent as well as he or might not some Other Way have been found out as good as this I answer No Christ the Son must be the very Person whom God will send And him he pitch'd upon so far as we poor shallow mortals are able to judge of his deep and unsearchable actings or to assign the reasons of them for these Reasons 1. First because he was the Person with whom the Father had covenanted about this very thing There was a Covenant commonly called the Covenant of Redemption which had passed betwixt these two Persons in which the Father engaged so and so to Christ and Christ reciprocally engaged so and so to the Father a considerable part of the terms and matter of which Covenant is set down Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed c. The Father Covenants to do thus and thus for Fallen Man but first in order thereunto the Son must Covenant to take man's Nature therein to satisfie offended Justice to repair and vindicate his Father's Honour c well he submits assents to these demands indents and covenants to make all good and this was the Covenant of Redemption Now upon this Covenant God sends his Son that being done in pursuance of and agreeable to that admirable compact or stipulation that had passed betwixt them both So that this Sending was not founded meerly upon the Father's absolute Will or Sovereignty over Christ but upon the foederal agreement made betwixt them as to this very matter Of which I 'le say no more here having formerly had an opportunity to publish some thoughts about it 2. Secondly God sent Christ because he saw that was the very best way which could be taken and therefore in wisdom he pitch'd upon it O there was no Way like to that The Father had great desigus now to carry on as for example to let the world see what an evil thing Sin was what a dreadful breach it had made betwixt himself and the Creature how terrible and impartial his Justice was what an Ocean of Love he had in his heart to promote the Sinners happiness yet so as in the first place to secure and advance his own glory in the magnifying of all his Attributes to indear himself his Son and all his mercies to his people to lay a sure foundation for the Righteousness and Salvation of believers were not these great and glorious designs Now there was no Way for the accomplishing and effecting of these comparable to this of God's sending his Son What God might have done some other way by his absolute Power and Will abstracting from his decree I dare not enquire into much less determine any thing about it or wherther this was the Onely Way I leave to others to discuss but certainly this was the best the fittest Way and therefore the Wise God pitch'd upon it Eos itaque qui dicunt itane defuit Deo modus alius quo liberaret homines à miseriâ mortalitatis hujus ut unigenitum Filium c. parum est sic refellere ut istum modum quo nos per Mediatorem Dei Hominum hominem Jesum Christum Deus liberare dignatur asseramus bonum divinae congruum dignitati verum etiam ut oftendamus non alium modum possibilem Deo defuisse cujus potestati aequalitèr cuncta subjacent sed sanandae nostrae miseriae convenientiorem alium non fuisse Aug. de Trin. lib. 13. cap. 10. Austine went no higher than thus 3. Christ was sent because as this was the best and the fittest Way so he was the best and the fittest Person to be imploy'd in such an Embassy God always sends the fittest messengers upon his errands 't was a great errand for Christ to come from heaven to earth about man's Redemption but God saw that He was the fittest messenger to be imploy'd therein and therefore he sent him For as he imploys none in his work especially when 't is high and of great importance whom he doth not either find or make fit for it so the more fit any are for his work the rather he doth imploy them and therefore this was that which induced him to send Christ none being so fit for the managing and transacting the Work of Redemption as he was which I shall endeavour to make out in a few Particulars Christ's superlative fitness for it appears from and was grounded upon Christ's Fitness for the Work of Redemption set forth 1. His two Natures the Hypostatical union of Both in his Person He was God Joh. 1.1 Phil. 2.6 1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 9.5 Isa 9.6 Tit. 2.13 He was also Man 1 Tim. 2.5 then too he â—as God-man in one Person Col. 2.19 Now who could be so fit to bring God and Man together as he who was himself both God and Man who so fit to negotiate with both as he who was a middle Person betwixt both who so fit to treat with an offended God as he who was God who so fit to suffer as he who was Man and to merit by suffering as he who was God-man Had he been only God he could not have suffered had he been only Man he could not have merited but being both he was eminently fit for both viz. for suffering and meriting for obeying and satisfying Thus his not to be parallell'd Fitness was grounded upon his Personal consideration 2. 'T was grounded upon his glorious Attributes his Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Faithfulness
have been some ground of fear that he would not have been able to have gone throught such a work but when Christ is pitch'd upon all ground of fear is removed to be sure he can and will finish what he engages in And 't is evident that he perfected what he came about from the Father's re-admitting him into Heaven had there been any thing left undone by him would the Father have given him such a reception as he did Believers do not fear all is * Joh. 17.4 finished Christ gave not over till he brought it * Joh. 19.30 to that You do your work by halfes very weakly and imperfectly but Christ did his compleatly yea though the Law it self through your flesh was weak yet Christ in your flesh was strong he did that throughly which the Law was altogether unable to do 4. Did God send Christ know to your Comfort he hath not yet done As to his own Satisfaction he hath no more to do but as to Your Glory and Happiness he will yet do more He sent Christ once into the Flesh and he will send him again in the Flesh not to suffer and die again no Christ †Rom. 6.9 being dead dies no more there 's now no further need of any suffering and dying but to appear * c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Athan. de Incar Verbi p. 110. like Himself in Glory and then to take you up into Glory Once already he came down from Heaven to Earth from thence hee 'l come again for what end why to carry you up from Earth to Heaven Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many that 's past and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation this is yet to come O long for it and rejoyce in it His First-Sending was to make the Purchase his Second shall be to put you into Possession which shall be done as certainly as the former is done and then there will be nothing further to be done 5. Wherefore did God send Christ for most gracious ends and purposes 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners c. 1 Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Joh. 3.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Now were these God's Ends and shall they not be accomplished may not Faith fetch strong encouragement from these for in order to the strengthning of Faith we are to look to God's Works and their great Ends as well as to his Word and Promise 6. Did God send Christ set this against All. Against the weakness of the Law that which the Law could not do Christ did that which was too hard for it was not too hard for him the Text tells you he was sent on purpose to make up what was defective in the Law Set it also against the guilt of Sin upon Christ's Sending presently you read of the condemning of sin God sent his own Son c. and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Sin was to be destroy'd and the Wise God took a fit course imploy'd a fit messenger for that end as the Scape-Goat with the Sin of the people was to be sent away by the hand of a fit man into the Wilderness Lev. 16.21 Several Other things might be instanced in whatever it is which troubles the dejected Christian let him therein study a God sending a Son sent and there he may find very proper and considerable satisfaction in every Case 7. God sent Christ for whom for you who see your lost and undone condition Matth. 15.24 I am not sent but unto the lost Sheep of the house of Israel so his Commission was straitned at first but afterwards it was enlarged to the lost sheep of the Gentiles also Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Matt. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief 8. He that sent Christ was also pleased to lay a special Trust and Charge upon him to secure all the Elect and to look to it that not One of those should perish Here 's a Truth which is like the full Honey-comb you cannot touch it but Honey and sweetness drops from it And I the rather here take notice of it because I find our Saviour himself when he is speaking of his Sending to make mention of it or when he mentions it to take in also his sending as Joh. 6.39 40. This is the Father's Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the Will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day O when the Father sent Christ he made this known to him as his Will and Pleasure that he should take special care of all his Elect and see that not one of them should be lost And this Christ submitted to as a part of his Surety-ship and ever since he hath with all faithfulness observed this his Father's Will and made good his Trust in the securing of every sincere Christian And for your Comfort know that this Trust doth as much lie upon Christ's hands now as ever it did that even as to your individual Persons if you be true Believers it is the Father's Will to Christ that he should not lose one of you or let one of you perish A child of God perish O by no means that neither Father nor Son will permit Rather than that should befal any of the Elect God would send his Son again to do and suffer all over again if such a thing was to be imagined Here then Believers is matter of strong Consolation for you viz. as to your Spiritual and Eternal State you are safe Christ is under a special obligation to secure you For the Father did not only send him in order to the bringing of you into a good estate but he did also then entrust him with the keeping of you in that estate when he should have brought you into it and what can be spoken higher for your support and comfort But I must leave these things with you O that you would often think of them especially in Soul-distresses and be ever drawing from them till your Hearts be even brim-full of Heavenly Consolation A Third Vse offers it self
am well pleased and then at his Transfiguration Matth. 17.5 Behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son The Apostle 1 Joh. 5.7 8. speaks of the Witness of Heaven and of Earth There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And there are three that bear witness in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one Now what is the thing which they bear witness to 't is Christ's Sonship for that is instanc'd in as to the First and Supream Witness Vers 9. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater For this is the witness of God which he hath testified af his Son You see how fully this Truth is attested and how abundantly God was pleas'd to clear it up in the first promulgation of the Gospel it being the great thing necessary to be known and believed Indeed the Jews as to the Body of them had a vail before their eyes so that they could not discern this near relation of Christ to God they saw the Son of man but they did not see the Son of God they went no higher than * Matth. 13.55 56. Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses and Simon and Judas and his sisters are they not all with us * Joh. 6.42 Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know how is it then that he saith I came down from heaven Nay when Christ plainly and boldly told them that he was the Son of God they could not bear it Joh. 10.33 For a good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy and because that thou being a man makest thy self God you may know what they meant by this by Christ's reply Vers 36. Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world Thou blasphemest because I said I am the Son of God Nay they were so offended at it that for this very thing they took away his life Joh. 19.7 The Jews answered him we have a Law and by our Law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God You have a full account of it Mark 14.61 to 65. Again the High Priest asked him and said unto him Art thou the Christ the Son of the Blessed And Jesus said I am c. Then the High Priest rent his cloaths and said What need we any further witnesses Ye have heard the blasphemy what think ye and they all condemned him to be guilty of death Thus the eyes of that people were then and O that they were not so still so blinded that they could not perceive Christ to be the Son of God but the Lord hath given sufficient evidence thereof to all who do not willfully shut their eyes upon the light 'T is a Truth out of all question to us who are called Christians yet about the Nature and Manner of Christ's Sonship there are some unhappy Controversies rais'd amongst us 2. Secondly Christ was God's own Son so 't is here signanter God sending hîs own Son I have told you in the Original 't is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son of himself or his ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper Son as 't is Vers 32. God is Christ's proper Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5.18 and Christ here is God's proper Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is not barely a Son but a Son in a special and peculiar manner God's own Son This being a Truth of very high import a most Fundamental Point I will endeavour first to explain and prove it and then to vindicate and make good its true and genuine Notion against Opposers Our Lord Jesus Christ is God's own Son whether you consider him comparatively and relatively I mean How Christ is God's own Son in reference to other Sons or absolutely as he is in Himself abstractly considered from all Other Sons God hath three sorts of Sons By Creation by Grace by Nature 1. Consider him Comparatively And so he is thus stiled to difference or distinguish him from all Other Sons For God hath three sorts of Sons 1. Some are so by Creation or in respect of their immediate Creation by God so the Angels are the Sons of God of whom Divines commonly interpret those passages in Job Chap. 1.6 There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord Chap. 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy So Adam upon this account he being immediately made by God is called the Son of God Luke 3.38 2. Some are the Sons of God by Grace viz. the Grace of Regeneration and Adoption thus Believers are the Sons of God as they are spiritually begotten of him and adopted by him Joh. 1.12 13. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God c. which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth c. Gal. 4.3 To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of Sons Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Chrildren by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 5.1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Then 3. in contradistinction to these there is God's own Son or his Son by Nature one that is a Son of another rank and Order than the former in this respect God hath but One Son namely Christ True Believers are his Sons which speaks the exuberancy of Divine Love towards them * 1 Joh. 3.1 â—â— Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! therefore Christ owns them for his Brethren Heb. 2.11 Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren and Vers 17. In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren But yet they are not Sons as Christ is his Sonship and theirs are of a very different nature differing no less than specifically Upon which account he sometimes appropriates the paternal relation in God unto himself Luke 10.22 All things are delivered to me of my Father c. Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions And elsewhere he distinguishes 'twixt God as being his Father and as being the Father of Believers Joh. 20.17 Go to
and save undone Sinners if send he will why did he not send an Angel or a body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do nay why did he not send an Angel as he once did with a * Gen. 3.24 flaming Sword in his hand to keep off Sinners from the tree of life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the Creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitch'd upon he 's the Person whom God will send And his End in sending this Son was as gracious as the Person whom he sent was glorious surely here was Love great Love great even to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son the nearer the relation was 'twixt God and Christ the greater was the affection shown to us Christ God's own Son his first born his only begotten Son the Son of his Love who lay in his bosome had been his delight from everlasting for him to be sent to recover and save Man vile sinful wicked undone man the Son to be imploy'd for the Servant the Slave the Enemy O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescension How may we here cry out Lord * Psal 8.4 Psal 144.3 what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the †Joh. 3.16 Son of man that thou makest this account of him Here was God's so loving of the world so as can never be express'd he so loved the world as that he gave his only begotten Son c. So loved the world what is there in this so why so inexpressibly so unconceivably Joh. 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins God own'd it as a great discovery of Abraham's Love to him when upon his command he was willing to offer up his only begotten Son but alas how infinitely short did that come of his own Love in his sending and parting with his only begotten Son for the good of Sinners here he intended to give out the highest manifestation of his Grace and he hath done it to purpose The * Isa 1.2 heavens and the earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people may not now Heaven and Earth Angels and Men all Creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious Love of God O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in the blessing loving admiring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon God's sending his own Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven Use 3. For Comfort from Christ's Sonship So much for Exhortation the third and last Vse shall be for Comfort and surely here is ground of strong Consolation to Believers that which may highly conduce to the furthering of their joy and the strengthning of their faith You who are such study this Sonship of Christ dwell upon it often in your most serious thoughts make the best of it and then tell me whether you do not find that solid Support and Comfort from it which you desire and need Shall I broach this full Vessel and draw out a little of that heart-chearing liquour which is in it then know that 1. As Christ is the Son of God so are you When I say SO are you you must understand me of the Verity not of the Kind or Manner of the Sonship you are not Sons as Christ is viz. by eternal Generation yet Sons you are in another way viz. by regeneration and adoption and though herein you come short of Christ you being but adopted Sons and he the natural Son yet as you are but such there is greater glory put upon you than if you were descended from or adopted by the greatest Monarch of the World May not this be matter of great comfort to you to consider that whatever Christ is that you are according to your capacity and necessary subordination to him that all that Grace which fell upon him falls upon you likewise and yet so it is is he the anointed of God so are you is he a Son so are you is he the beloved of God so are you is he the Heir of God so are you in these respects also 't is * Joh. 1.16 Grace for Grace I am upon your Sonship in conformity to Christ's Sonship the truth of which you have no reason to question since the procuring of this for you was one thing that God in special aimed at in the sending of his Great Son into the world Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son c. that we might receive the adoption of Sons and therefore in this relation Christ takes you in with himself Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God 2. You may now upon this confidently expect the bestowing of all good For Christ being God's own Son and he having given him to you what can come after that can be too great or too good for him to give to you what will God now deny after the gift of such a Son He * Rom. 8.32 that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Saints let this be thought of as all blessings come to you from God as he is the God and Father of Christ for 't is * Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ so all blessings are assur'd to you from this relative consideration of God viz. as he is first the God and Father of Christ and then in him your God and Father too 3. You may he sure that there is an infinite value worth and efficacy in Christ's Obedience and that he was a person able to accomplish your Redemption Christ being such a Son this speaks him to be a Person of great dignity that dignity of his Person gives the highest assurance to Faith both that he was every way able to go through what he undertook and also that there must be an infinite Virtue and Merit in what ever he did or suffered What can be so
greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this building c. by this Tabernacle of the Lord 's pitching and not made with hands he means the body or flesh of Christ which was the true Tabernacle and of which the common Tabernacle was but a type and indeed there was so great a resemblance betwixt these two as that the one might very well prefigure and typify the other For 1. the Outside of that Tabernacle was but mean it was made without of very ordinary and common things within 't was rich and glorious it being beautified with Gold Silver Precious Stones c. but without all was plain it being covered only with Ram-skins and Goat-skins and such materials Exod. 25.1 c. and 26.14 c. So here Christ's outside was especially to some but very mean Isa 53.2 He hath no form nor comliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him but yet he was exceeding glorious within as 't is said of the Church Psal 45.13 such as had a discerning eye they could see the inward glory of his Godhead shining through the cloud of his Manhood And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Joh. 1.14 2. God's special presence was in the Tabernacle there was the Shechinah or habitation of God wherein at first by an extraordinary Cloud he signified his glorious presence to be as afterwards he did in the Temple too By which therefore Christ sets forth his Body Joh. 2.19 21. Jesus answered and said unto them Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up but he spake of the Temple of his Body Both Tabernacle and Temple were * Dr. Cudworth true Notion of the Lord's Supper p. 62. types and apt resemblances of his Flesh or Manhood in respect of the special presence and inhabitation of the Divine Nature in it Hence †Dr. Jackson on the Creed 7th Book sect 3. ch 20. Some make all those great Promises made to the people of Israel concerning God's presence with them in special in the Tabernacle and Temple to point to Christ's Incarnation and in that to receive their accomplishment you may read them Exod. 25.8 Exod. 29.44 45 46. Levit. 26.11 12 13. Ezek. 37.26 27 28. 3. The Tabernacle was a * Josephus calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 templum portatile Antiq. Jud. lib. 3. cap. 5. And Austine Templum deambulatorium moveable thing whilst Israel was in the Wilderness in an itinerary posture as they moved the Tabernacle moved with them it was not fixed all that time as afterwards it was So it was with Christ he was here on earth with his Body for some time but neither he nor it were here long to abide he ascended up to heaven and thither he carried his Body with him and there t is fixed this the Evangelist alludes unto Joh. 1.14 The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he tented or tabernacled it for a time amongst us in respect of his short abode here in reference to which our Bodies too are set forth by Tabernacles 2 Cor. 5.1 4. 2 Pet. 1.13 14. I might also instance in Melchisedech as a personal Type of Christ he was without Father and Mother c. Heb. 7.3 which is very applicable to Christ for he as the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Najanz P. 375. tom 1. Son of God was without Mother and as the Son of man without Father Well then that all these Prophesies Promises Types might be fulfill'd it was necessary that Christ should assume Flesh there 's the first Ground of it The 2d Reason why Christ was incarnate and sent in Flesh that he might be the better qualify'd for his Office and Work 2. This was necessary in regard of Christ's Office and Work 1. As to his Office He was to be the Mediatour betwixt God and Man and that was to be his great and standing Office now in order to his administration thereof it was requisite that he should be Man and take our Nature for he who will be a Mediator 'twixt God and Man must himself be both God and Man He must be God that he may be fit to transact treat negotiate with God and he must be Man that he may be fit to do the same with Man God alone was too high to deal with Man and Man alone was too low to deal with God and therefore Christ was a middle Person 'twixt both that he might deal with both He could not have been fit to be the Mediator in respect of Office if he had not first been a middle Person in respect of his Natures for saith the Apostle Gal. 3.20 A Mediator is not of one but God is one Not of one that is 1. not of one Person for mediation supposes more persons than one was there none besides God himself Christ's mediatory work would be at end that necessarily implying different parties betwixt whom he doth mediate 2. Not of one Nature the Mediator must necessarily have more Natures than one Observe it God saith the Text is one viz. as he is essentially considered and therefore as so he cannot be the Mediator but Christ as personally considered he is not of one that is not of one Nature for he is God and Man too whereupon hee 's the Person who is qualify'd to be the Mediator And therefore when he is spoken of as Mediator his Manhood is brought in that Nature being so necessary to that Office 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 2. Christ's Incarnation and Manhood was necessary in respect of that Work which he was willing to undertake I mean the Work of Redemption If he will engage to redeem and save lost Sinners he must be so qualify'd as that he may first make * Vide Anselm cur Deus Homo Lib. 1. Cap. 11 12 19 20. satisfaction to an injur'd and offended God for that God stood upon and would not recede from he had decreed as appears by the event to save man that way and what he decrees must accordingly be accomplished he had threatned death to the Sinner which threatning therefore must be inflicted either upon the Offender himself or his Surety and God as Rector mundi will vindicate the honour of his Government and therefore will punish the transgression of his Laws upon such Considerations as these there must be Satisfaction Now in order to that there must be suffering yea Christ himself must suffer partly because he was pleas'd to substitute himself in the Sinners stead and partly because his sufferings only could be satisfactory but unless he be Man how can he suffer So that the chain or link lies thus without satisfaction no redemption without suffering
and in the following words was to set forth the excellency of the Gospel which he calls Godliness because its main sâ—ope and tendency is to that and how doth he do it why by the glorious mysteries held forth therein of some of which he there gives a particular enumeration As to the height and verity of which mysteries he saith Without controversie c. confessedly beyond all dispute or denial these are mysteries indeed 't is as if he had said I know the poor Heathens pretend to great and high mysteries but indeed they are so far from being high mysteries that they are no mysteries at all they being but the fancies of deluded men but saith he I 'le tell you of mysteries that are both real and sublime which are so beyond all contradiction Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness c. But how doth he make that appear he makes it out in some instances and his first instance is in the Incarnation of the Son of God Without controversie great is the mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. O there 's a mystery indeed a transcendent mystery one which all the Gentiles cannot parallel A very Learned * Jac. Gothofredus in 1 Tim. 3.15 16. in Critic vol. 7. p. 3770. c. Author in a very learned Discourse upon this whole Verse proves that Paul therein throughout had his eye upon the Gentile-Rites Customs pretentions to mysteries c. especially upon those amongst the Greeks and amongst them especially upon those in their Eleusinia sacra which above all others were in highest repute at that time when the Apostle wrote this Epistle Now therefore against them he sets down the great mysteries of the Gospel and Christianity which certainly were infinitely to be preferred before the other The making out of this was our Apostles design according to the Opinion of the forenamed Author in every branch of the Words but I 'le go no farther than the first that only suiting with the thing I am upon And there are in it four things to prove the thing in hand 1 As to Gospel-mysteries the true God was the object of them and concern'd in them but the Gentiles in their mysteries had to do with those which by nature were no Gods which were but called Gods as they are described Gal. 4.8 1 Cor. 8.5 2. In Gospel mysteries one God only was the object of them and Christians had to do with this one and only true God but the Gentiles in their mysteries had to do with variety and multiplicity of Gods and so indeed with no God for many Gods are no God 1 Cor. 8.5 6. Though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many and Lords many But to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 't is God one God manifested c. 3. In Gospel mysteries there 's a God as incarnate commemorated and remembred in them in the Gentile-mysteries it was not so In them they had some notions and made some commemorations of their Gods but how only as common benefactors as giving them bread and wine and corn c but they went no higher but now Christians under the Gospel they commemorate God as taking flesh and suffering in that flesh for their good O there 's mercy indeed a mystery indeed 4. Whereas the Gentiles in their mysteries pretended such and such apparitions of their Gods in opposition to these the Apostle sets down the great and glorious appearance and manifestation of Christ He was indeed manifested in the flesh for he was so manifested in the flesh as to be made flesh his was not an appearance only but a real assumption there 's a mystery indeed In these respects the Apostle advances the mysteries of the Gospel and of the Christian Religion above those which the blind Gentiles were such admirers of in their idolatrous way Well! we who know and believe these things what high thoughts should we have of the Gospel and of the Christian Religion how should we adore and magnifie God for his infinite mercy to us in bringing of us under that revelation and that Faith wherein this unparallel'd mystery of a Christ incarnate is made known and embrac'd Of the excellency of the Flesh and Manhood of Christ 2. Secondly this further informs us of the excellency and glory of Christ's Flesh and Manhood from the premises it clearly appears that that is and needs must be superlatively great Was Christ himself sent in flesh did God's own Son assume and so assume flesh O what a lustre and glory must there be upon that flesh or body which such a person doth so assume 'T is call'd after its being glorified in him a glorious body Phil. 3.21 but 't was a glorious body long before even from the first moment of its formation and assumption 'T is true its glory whilst 't was here on earth did not shine forth in its full brightness there was a vail and covering upon it during the state of Christ's Humiliation but yet even then 't was full of glory though the fulness of its glory did not appear as the Sun is very glorious even when 't is hid under a cloud And indeed 't was requisite not only from the state of his abasement but also from the weakness of those with whom he was to converse that here he should very much keep in its glory for we see when at his transfiguration he let it break forth in a more than ordinary manner the beholders thereof could not well bear it it fill'd them with consternation read Matth. 17.1 c. But yet upon its miraculous framing its unstain'd and unspotted sanctity its neer union with the Godhead even here I say its glory was exceeding great O what a sight will it be in heaven to see this body of Christ in all its splendor and to see him in this Flesh sitting at the right hand of God! As he was at first sent in it 't was but mean in external appearance and to meer sense but now he is ascended and hath carried it up with him and 't is plac'd at the right hand of God so 't is an Object so glorious that 't is fit only for a glorify'd eye to behold And doth the Body of Christ engross all this glory hath his Soul no part or share therein yes surely it may rather be ask'd hath not that the greatest share it being the better and nobler part and capable of that of which the Body is not If God prepare so excellent a body hee 'l be sure answerably to prepare as excellent a soul to dwell in that body as they that build stately houses will put in inhabitants that shall be answerable to them Imagine a Soul untouch'd and unblemish'd with sin fully and perfectly sanctify'd fill'd with grace
to the utmost of its capacity having nothing in its several faculties but truth in the Vnderstanding holy conformity in the Will heavenliness in the affections I say represent to your selves in your thoughts such a Soul and then think what an excellent Soul would that be just such a Soul is in Christ Indeed if we consider these constitutive parts of Christ's Manhood as they stand apart and by themselves they are excellent to a very high degree but if we go further and consider them in the Hypostatick Vnion then we are at a mighty loss and cannot conceive what a glory is by that conferr'd upon them As suppose a Pearl was put into a glass of Chrystal that would put a great radiancy upon it but what if the Sun it self could be put into this glass how radiant then would it be So here the Lord Christ having so precious a Soul dwelling in his Flesh even that if there was nothing more must make it very glorious but when the Godhead it self dwells in it how unspeakable must its glory and splendor needs be Leaving the parts let me speak to the whole the whole humane nature in Christ is transcendently excellent If the essential and eternal Son of God will so far condescend as to assume Man's Nature certainly in him the Manhood must have all that dignity glory perfection that ever it was capable of and surely never was the Humane Nature so advanc'd as in Christ If you consider it as 't is in us so it hath its worth and excellency for man is yet a glorious creature though 't is too true by the loss of God's image he hath lost very much of his glory As he was at first created in the state of innocency he was high indeed by the Fall the case is sadly altered the Humane Nature now is exceedingly debas'd and depress'd but yet even in its ruins as 't was with old Carthage it may be seen what once it was much is lost and the best is lost but all is not lost the glory of the Saint is gone but the glory of the Man in a great measure yet remains He is yet as to his natural composition and indowments very excellent the top of the whole creation God's * Vid. Nyssen de Hom. opif. c. 3. p. 51. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euryphamus in Stobae Ser. c1 p. 556. Theophrastus calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as though God in him would vye with and out-vye all that he had done besides in the whole visible creation See Weems's Portrait p. 60 61. master-piece and highest workmanship endowed with a body curiously wrought with a Soul of divine original excellent in its being and operations And besides this which is general it pleases God in some to restore the Humane Nature in part to what it lost in Adam's fall to advance it again by Grace and Regeneration yea to take it up to heaven to the vision and fruition of himself And now 't is at its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here 's its non-ultra its highest advancement 't is not capable as in us of higher exaltation that what it hath by Grace and Glory This dignity and glory the Humane Nature hath in us but yet as 't is so subjected take it even at its highest elevation it comes infinitely short of the dignity and excellency of the Humane Nature of Christ the reason is because in it there 's all that hath been spoken in an eminent manner and besides which is higher than all the former it is taken into a near conjunction with the Divine Nature How glorious must that Manhood be which subsists in the Godhead and hath no subsistence but in that The nearer the Vnion is with that the greater is the perfection and glory of that which is admitted into that union And hence it is that there is such a fulness of Grace in Christ as Man over and above what is in the best of men that he is * Psal 45.7 anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows that his Manhood bears a part in the mediatory Office that 't is to be worshipped with Divine Worship as hath been proved before I say all this belongs to it by vertue of the Hypostatical Vnion from which in all things it derives super-excellent Glory And yet I must tell you this Humane Nature as high as 't is is the lowest thing in Christ that which is the highest in us is but the lowest in him Supremum infimi infimum supremi as Man he 's glorious but what is he then as God! What a Person is Christ take him altogether O let him be adored and reverenced by you as Man but especially as he is God-man So much for Information Use 2. Exhortation to several Dutys 2. Secondly was Christ sent in flesh hence ariseth matter of Exhortation to several Duties 1. I would exhort you to give a full and firm assent to the truth of Christ's incarnation To give a full and firm assent to the truth of Christ's Incarnation as also firmly to adhere to Christ as sent in flesh Here are two things which Iâ—le speak to apart First see that you give a full and firm assent to the truth of Christ's Incarnation 'T is a thing which the Scripture layes a great stress upon 1 Joh. 4.3 Every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist whereof you have heard that it should come and even now is it in the world 2 Joh. 7. Many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist It seems the Incarnation of Christ met with early opposition his flesh was no sooner translated to Heaven but 't was deny'd on Earth this Apostle therefore who in his Gospel had been a great asserter of it in his Epistles will be also a zealous defender of it and see how warm he was upon it the denyal of Christ's coming and of his coming in the flesh for there lies the main emphasis he carries as high as Antichristianism and sets no lower a brand upon it Antichristianism doth not only lie in the opposing of Christ in his Offices which is the latter and modern Antichristianism but also in the opposing of him in his Natures as God and Man which was the first and ancient Antichristianism to deny Christ's Manhood and assuming flesh this is down-right Antichristian the very spirit of Antichrist if the Apostle here may be believed Now there 's a twofold denial of this one open express direct the other * Non attendamus ad linguam sed ad facta si enim omnes interrogantur omnes uno ore confitentur Jesum esse Christum quiescat paululum lingua vitam interroga Aug. in Ep. Joh. Tract 3. implicit virtual interpretative the former I hope is very rare the latter I fear is too common he
full object for these things where think and think as long as you will yet fresh matter will offer it self that 's a Well out of which the more you draw the fuller you 'l find it to be Psal 104.34 My meditation of him saith David shall be sweet surely the believer may say My meditation of God who as he was made Man shall be sweet O that you would live in the daily exercise of this heavenly duty upon this excellent object What a blessed thing would it be if we could lie down rise up with a Christ and especially a Christ incarnate in our minds Me thinks that which was the product and matter of God's thoughts from everlasting should very much be the subject and matter of our thoughts in time 3d. Branch of the Exhortation To adore the mystery it self and also the Father and the Son in the mystery 3. Thirdly was Christ sent in Flesh yea in the likeness of sinful Flesh this should strike us all with amazement and astonishment how should we admire and wonder at this dispensation Was it so indeed that such a person did become man such a man O the wonder of wonders here 's nothing but Wonders a conflux and complication of Wonders in this one thing there are many Wonders and those too not of the lowest rank but the highest that ever were Who can duly think of weigh ponder upon what is here laid down without being transported and swallowed up in high and holy admiration The glorified ones in heaven are alwayes wondring and what is it which causeth them so to do 't is the beholding of Christ in our flesh they began betimes so to do even as soon as ever Christ had assumed our Nature and they continue still to do the same and so they will to all eternity The Angels were so full of joy and admiration upon the first breaking out of this that they must come from heaven and give some vent to themselves in singing * Luk. 2.14 Glory to God in the highest on earth peace good will towards men Now when there is such admiring and wondring in heaven shall there be none in earth Things which are mysterious and strange affect us very much was there ever any thing so mysterious and strange as the incarnation of the Son of God this is a mystery indeed the first link in that chain of mysteries 1 Tim. 3.16 When little things make us wonder 't is an evidence of weakness when great things do not make us wonder 't is an evidence either of great inconsideracy or gross stupidity The proud Philosopher scorns to wonder at any thing in Nature but the humble Christian who hath things before him far more sublime and unsearchable than any mysteries in Nature may well stand and wonder at those things in Religion which 't is not possible for him to comprehend Amongst which what more incomprehensible take it in all respects than the incarnation of God's own Son he that doth not wonder at this pray what will he wonder at To be more particular and distinct in the urging of this duty of humble and thankful admiration two things I would say 1. Admire in reference to the thing it self The mystery of Christ's Incarnation to be admired 2. Admire God and Christ the Persons who had the hand in it 1. For the thing it self Christ in our flesh 'pray pause and ruminate a while upon it and then tell me what you think of it the more you look into it and consider it the more you will admire it A God to be made Man a God to take dust for flesh is but living or breathing dust into intimate conjunction with himself a God to submit for some time to lie in the womb of a Virgin O wonderful Here 's finite and infinite joyn'd in one eternity match'd with time the Creator and a Creature making but one Person here 's the Lord and Soveraign of the world marrying into a mean and broken Family the maker of the Universe made himself here 's two Natures which stood at an infinite distance each from the other hypostatically united here 's the verity of flesh and yet but the similitude of sinful flesh here 's a man begotten without man a * Filius Dei de Patre sine matre Filius hominis de matre sine Patre Aug. de temp Serm. 23. Vide Tertull de carne Christi p. 373. Vacabat viri semen c. Son without a Father for though Christ had more than a putative body yet as Man he had no more than a putative Father Luk. 3.23 Jesus began to be about thirty years of age being as was supposed the Son of Joseph c. here 's a Virgin conceiving and bringing forth a Son she remaining a Virgin still Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth a woman shall compass a man are not all these stupendious amazing never enough to be admired things How do wonders here grow upon us no sooner doth one go off but presently another succeeds in its room Christ wrought many miracles in his Flesh but the greatest miracle of all was his assuming flesh let Jews and Infidels scoff and deride the sincere Christian must admire and adore 2. For the Persons who had the great hand in this they are to be admired too I 'le instance 1. in God the Father 2. in God the Son God the Father to be admired 't is shown how or wherein 1. God the Father hee 's to be admired For 't was he who sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh he ordain'd and order'd all about this he laid the foundation of it in his own purpose and will it was the * Psal 118.23 Lord's doing from first to last should it not be marvellous in our eyes I and as was said before 't was the highest thing that ever he did in this with reverence be it spoken he went to the utmost of all his Attributes In Christ's Incarnation saith a * Mr. Burroughs Gosp Conv. p. 89. Reverend Divine we may see God as it were resolving to do a work from himself to the uttermost to manifest the uttermost of his glory in a work out of himself The work of God within himself was his eternal Generation and the Procession of the Holy Ghost but now God would work out of himself and that to the utmost extent He had made a World but there he had not manifested the uttermost of his glory therefore God will c. what 's that to take the Nature of man into a personal union with his Son that 's the uttermost Now where God goes to the utmost of his Attributes it becomes us to go to the utmost of our thankfulness and admiration There are Four Attributes in God which upon the account of Christ's Incarnation can never be enough admired 1. His Wisdom in finding out such a glorious way for the Sinners recovery This was
hope and faith but whoever thou art if thou beest a sincere Christian thou mayst believe it and be sure of it For Christ took thy flesh purchased heaven for thee in thy flesh ascended up to heaven in thy flesh and is there glorify'd in thy flesh and therefore may'st not thou assuredly hope that thou also thy self in thine own flesh shalt go to God and have it glorify'd in its measure as well as the Flesh of Christ is what encouragement is here for faith By Christ incarnate we do not only see that the Humane Nature is capable of the future blessedness but we have thereby ground of full assurance of it for what could he aim at in his being so short of Heaven In our Nature he both purchas'd it and also took possession of it and all for us Heb. 6.20 Whether the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec He being glorified * Est in ipso Jesu Christo unius cujusque nostrum portio Caro sanguis Ubi ergo portio mea regnat ibi me regnare credo ubi caro mea glorificatur ibi gloriosum me esse cognosco c. Aug. Medit. c. 15. in him we are glorify'd as he rose as a publick Head so he was glorified as a publick Head too He who hath so advanc'd our Nature will in time advance our persons his Incarnation which is past secures our Glorification which is to come 'T was more for Christ to come down to earth than 't is for him to carry us up to heaven if he will condescend to be like to us in his humiliation he will have us to be like to him in his exaltation * Quid futurus est Homo propter quem Deus factus est Homo Prosper What can be too high for man when for him God was made Man Well Believers Christ being sent in flesh what can now be too great for your faith you have great and glorious things in your eye but do not in the least question the accomplishment of them all is made easie credible nay certain upon Christ's Incarnation that being done all shall be done this is the third thing for the Comfort of God's people Vpon Christ's Incarnation God is knowable and accessible 4. Fourthly was Christ sent in Flesh there 's this in it for the strengthning of Faith and the heightning of Joy that God is now knowable accessible 'T is beyond all contradiction some may say a blessed thing to know God I but who can know him can any see God and live can a finite eye take a view of such an infinite Majesty the least ray of which out-shines the Sun in its greatest brightness what Man to know God alas poor creature his weak faculties will not bear the beholding of so glorious an Object To which I answer all this in such a sense is very true yet let not humble Souls be discouraged for this notwithstanding they may yet know God savingly and comfortably though not perfectly In and by a Jesus in flesh the great God is knowable partly as he by Christ so considered is most clearly manifested in Christ God-Man we have the brightest objective manifestation of God The whole Creation though thereby much may be known of God as you reade Rom. 1.20 makes no such discoveries of him as Christ doth therefore he 's said for this is one explication which the words will very well bear to be the brightness of his Father's Glory Heb. 1.3 and hence some stile him Speculum Patris the glass wherein the Father in the most cleer and lively manner is represented He that hath seen me hath seen the Father Joh. 14.9 and the Apostle speaks of the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face i.e. in and by the Manhood of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 Partly too as Christ in our flesh is a fit medium to transmit God as knowable to us Indeed God as consider'd absolutely and in himself is so infinitely above us that we cannot here immediately behold him so his Glory his immense and infinite perfections should they be let out upon us would soon reduce us to our first nothing But he being consider'd in Christ so mediately through Christ we can look upon him see him and live in this way the Majesty of God is as it were so refracted temper'd and qualified that the poor dimme eye of the creature may behold it As we cannot immediately look upon the body of the Sun so its splendor and intense light presently dazzles us yet we can look upon it in a pail of water so here we cannot immediately behold God in the brightness of his Glory a finite faculty must needs be dazzled by an infinite Majesty yet take him in the Flesh and Manhood of Christ there his Glory is so brought down to us that we can see him and know him to our comfort Christ Man interposes not only between us and God's Anger to skreen us from it that we be not thereby consum'd but also between us and God's Majesty that we may not be overwhelm'd by the infiniteness of it he lets it out as our capacity will bear and so by him God becomes knowable he both carry's us up to God and also brings down God to us O study God much but then be sure you study him in Christ incarnate in that way you may come to the knowledge of him * Per illam Unionem Hypostaticam assumptionem Humanae Naturae factum collyrium per quod oculis penè ipsis Divinitas cerneretur Aug. Tract 3. in Joh. Augustine saith by the Hypostatical Vnion of the Humane Nature with the Divine there is such a collyrium or eye-salve made for us that we may with these very eyes almost see the Deity how should we rejoyce in the Manhood of Christ By that flesh in which the Godhead was sometimes hid 't is now reveal'd that which was once a vail to cover it is now a glass to represent it do but know Christ and you will know God I add God is now accessible Christians Christ having taken your flesh carried it up with him to heaven sitting in it at the right hand of God and therein interceding for you through him you may now go to God and that too with all holy boldness and confidence You have not to do with a Deus absolutus which Luther so much dreaded but with God through a Mediator and which may be a great encouragement to your Faith that Mediator is the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 You go to God and you go by God as clothed with your Nature 't is Deus quà itur Deus quo itur the God to whom you go commands your reverence the God-man by whom you go incourages your confidence O that you would more explicitly in Duty revive upon your thoughts Christ's Mediation and Intercession in heaven in your Nature surely that
nobis est umbraculum Sacrificio suo apud Deum nos reconciliavit Zarnov de Sat. Christi p. 38. accomplishment of them 2. That he is also a true and real Sacrifice for was there reality in the Type and shall there not be the same with advantage in the Anti-type or shall they be shadows of a shadow shall there be such a shell and no kernel such a bone and no marrow in it But to go on In the old Sacrifices there were these Six things Six things in the Old Sacrifices all of which are to be found in Christs Sacrifice 1. The Person who did institute ordain and appoint the use of them who was God himself whose institution of them though it be not express'd in the Scriptures yet it may very strongly be inferr'd from them 2. The Person unto whom they were offered and he also was God himself 3. The Persons offering viz. the Priests to whom by divine appointment this work was committed and it was a great part of their work and one great end of their Office For every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things partaining to God that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for sins Heb. 5.1 4. The Matter of the Sacrifice or the thing offered which was very various according to what God was pleas'd to specifie and appoint Oxen Bulls Heifers Sheep Rams Goats c. 5. The Oblation it self when the Beast was slain it was to be offered up and then part of the blood thereof was to be carried into the Holy of Holy's there to be presented before the Lord and the main stress of the * See Dr. Stillingfl against Crellius ch 5. p. 451. expiation lay not upon the representation which followed after but upon the mactation and solemn oblation of the Sacrifice 6. The Altar upon which all was to be offer'd Now answerably and in correspondency to all these 1. God instituted appointed ordained Christ to be the Sacrifice it was his will and ordination that his Son should offer up himself a propitiatory or expiatory Sacrifice Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself c. 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world c. It was as much the appointment of God that Christ the true Sacrifice should die be slain offered up as that under the Law any of those Sacrifices should be so used and as from all eternity he decreed and appointed Christ to be the Sacrifice so in time he fitted and prepared him for his being so therefore saith Christ * Heb. 10.5 But a body hast thou prepared me without which he could not have been a Sacrifice 2. Christ offered up himself to God He had to do * Grot. de Sat. Christi c. 10. p. 121. with God as he stood in the quality and respect of a Sacrifice for this was a part of his Priestly Office which primarily refers to God as King and Prophet he hath to do with us but as Priest he had to do with God that he might propitiate and atone him So 't was with the Aaronical Priests they were ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5.1 and surely so it must be too with the great Priest whom they did typifie Heb. 2.17 that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God The Apostle speaks it expresly and hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour 3. Here was the Person offering and that was Christ himself he as Mediator as God-Man was the Priest to offer up himself They under the Law had variety of Sacrifices and variety of Priests we under the Gospel have but one Sacrifice and one Priest who first offered up himself and now continues in another way to offer up our duties and services to God 4. As Christ was the Priest offering so he was the Sacrifice offered for he was both which was unusual and extraordinary The Levitical Priests and the Sacrifices which they offered were distinct they were not bound to offer themselves but our Lord Jesus was * Ut quoniam quatuor considerantur in omni Sacrificio cui offeratur à quo offeratur quid offeratur pro quibus offeratur idem ipse unus verúsque Mediator per Sacrificium pacis reconcilians nos unum cum illo maneret cui offerebatur unum in se faceret pro quibus offerebatur unus ipse esset qui offerebat quod offerebat August de Trinit Utrum Christus simul fâ—erit Sacerdos Hostia Aquin. in 3. p. Qu. 22. Art 2. Priest and Sacrifice too in his Person he was the Offerer in his humane Nature he was the thing offered 'T was necessary that he should offer something For every high Priest is ordained to offer gifts and Sacrifices wherefore it is of necessity that this man have also somewhat to offer Heb. 8.3 what then did he offer such things as had been offered before the blood of bulls and goats no he offered his own blood Heb. 9.12 his own body Heb. 10. 4 5 6 7 10. through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all that very body which was so miraculously framed with which he liv'd here on earth which he carried up with him afterwards to heaven that very body I say he freely offered up upon the Cross as a Sacrifice to God His Soul comes in too but that 's himself Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin His whole self in his whole Humane Nature was the matter of this Sacrifice Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an offering c. Heb. 1.3 when he had by himself purged our sins Heb. 9.14 who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God So Heb. 7.27 The Text saith for sin God condemned sin in the flesh by which flesh the Apostle understands the whole Manhood of Christ and that was the Sacrifice for sin by which Sin was condemned 5. There was Christ's formal and proper oblation performed upon the Cross by and upon which the sins of Believers were to be expiated That there was in Christ an oblation none deny but that this was done at his Death or here on earth and was expiatory in that sense which we put upon it both of these are vehemently deny'd by the SOCINIANS but I shall have occasion to vindicate both by and by 6. In Christ's Sacrifice there was an Altar too namely his Godhead The Altar sanctify'd the gift Matth. 23.19 so 't was here the Deity of Christ did not only sustain and strengthen his Humane Nature in his being a Sacrifice therein but it also gave merit and efficacy to his Sacrifice for how did that come to be so meritorious and effectual for the good of Sinners but from this
occur in Scripture 2 King 3.27 2 King 17.31 2 King 23.10 2 Chron. 28.3 Jer. 7.31 Jer. 19.5 Jer. 32.35 Psal 106.37 38. Levit. 18.21 Levit. 20.2 In other things the Heathens borrowed from the Jews in this the Jews from the Heathens Upon the whole then it appears that Scripture and Nature do both concur in that notion of expiatory Sacrifices which I have insisted upon and surely in the applying of it to Christ the grand expiatory Sacrifice the Gospel is exceeding clear So that when we assert his substitution in the stead of Sinners his dying for them his atoning God and expiating Sin by his death and blood we say nothing but what Jews and Heathens in their expiatory Sacrifices apprehended believed and acted upon They then who differ in these things as to the general nature use and end of such Sacrifices they differ not only from us but from all mankind of whom it might be expected they would better agree with Heathens since they do so ill agree with Christians Of the Second Enquiry when and where Christ was this expiatory Sacrifice I have dispatch'd the First Enquiry What a kind of Sacrifice Christ was the Second follows when and where he was such a Sacrifice To which I answer when he was here on earth and especially when he died upon the Cross then and there he was this expiatory Sacrifice All are not of my mind herein the Enemy who way-lays me in every step I take in these great Truths is upon me again and forces me to defend my self or rather the Truth I have laid down * Socin de Serv. p. 2. c. 12 15. Smale de Divin Christi c. 23. Gatech Racov. de Mun. Christi Sacerd. Quaest 2. He saith Christ's being thus a Sacrifice points to his being in Heaven and to what he there doth that his death here was but a preparation to his Sacrifice as there to be made or but an antecedent Condition to his having of power there to expiate sin with much more to that purpose Here then lies the difference between us and S we say Christ's being the expiatory Sacrifice belongs to that part of his Priestly-Office which he executed here upon earth they make it to refer to that part of his Priestly-Office which he now executes in Heaven we time it in Christ's dying upon the Cross they in his sitting upon the Throne Now that I may at once prove what is true and also confute what is false I argue thus 1. It appears that here Christ's Sacrifice was exhibited or that here he made his expiatory Offering because the Scripture speaks of it as a thing that is past and antecedent to his exaltation and glory and therefore it must be done here on earth and not in Heaven Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an Offering a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Heb. 1.3 when he had by himself purged our sins he sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high mark it the Sacrifice-purgation or expiation of sin was over and done and then Christ's exaltation in Heaven followed after Heb. 9.12 Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained not to obtain eternal redemption for us Heb. 10.12 But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God he did not first sit down on the right hand of God and then offer up his Sacrifice for sins but he first offered and then he sat down on the right hand of God 2. When the Scripture speaks of Christ's expiation of sin by the Sacrifice of himself it speaks of it as a thing done but once therefore it must refer to his death which was but once not to his intercession or any other act in Heaven which is a * Heb. 7.25 continued repeated and reiterated act Heb. 9.26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Vers 28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many Heb. 7.27 this he did once when he offered up himself Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Doth this once agree with any thing that he now doth in Heaven 3. If Christ had not dispatch'd his expiatory work at his death why did he then say * Joh. 19.30 It is finished if his expiating of sin was yet to come and to be done in Heaven how could he with truth have spoken these words that all was finished when the great thing was yet undone 4. That of the Apostle is pertinent to our purpose Heb. 10.5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me c. wherefore did Christ come into the world why to be a Sacrifice and to do that which the old Sacrifices could not God was e'ene weary of them could no longer * Heb. 10.8 take pleasure in them he will have Christ the better Sacrifice to come into the world which accordingly he did I but what was the world into which he came surely it must be this lower world for it must be understood of that world into which he came to do the Will of God as appears Vers 7.9 now that was this World below rather than that above for where do we reade that Christ ascended into the upper World to do the Will of God especially this Will of God referring to his assuming a body and offering up that body Vers 5.10 these were things to be done only on this lower stage of earth whence then it follows that here his Sacrifice was made 5. There was as hath been observ'd to be an analogie and resemblance 'twixt Christ's Sacrifice and the Levitical Sacrifices and he was to expiate in that way wherein they did expiate but if you do not place his Sacrifice in his death where will that analogie be or how will he expiate in that way wherein they did What is there in Christ as in Heaven that carries any resemblance to the killing slaying shedding the blood offering of the Levitical Sacrifices There he sits in great glory puts forth his Regal power is Head of Church c. but what 's all this to suffering dying pouring out his blood wherein he was to answer to those Sacrifices Doth the Scripture lay so much upon his death and blood for expiation and yet shall that be done where there is none of these 'T will be said there 's this in Christ in Heaven to carry resemblance to the old Sacrifices their blood was carried by the High-Priest into the Holy of Holy's and there sprinkled by him towards the Mercy-seat upon which expiation and atonement followed now parallel to this Christ
himself our High-Priest is entred into Heaven the Sanctuary not made with hands and there he executes his Priestly Office after a sort for expiation and atonement also To which I reply Christ's entrance into Heaven cannot be deny'd nor that that doth much resemble what was done by the High-Priest under the Law all that being but typical of this Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into Heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us And therein we have the second part of his Priesthood the oblation of himself here on earth being the first and his intercession in heaven the second which two must not be divided but conjoyn'd the former must not justle out the latter nor the latter the former Which second part of his Priesthood was necessary partly in respect of Christ himself for the compleating and consummating of his Priesthood the perfection and excellency of which depended upon it for saith the Apostle Heb. 8.4 If he were on earth he should not be a Priest i.e. not a Priest of the highest rank he would come short of the High-Priest and be but as one of the ordinary Priests if he should only offer without and after that not enter into the Sanctuary as the High-Priest did and he only And partly too in respect of Believers that he might not only make his oblation for them in order to impetration which he had done on earth but that he might further present and plead the merit of that oblation in order to application and the actual giving out the benefits purchas'd and merited thereby which was to be done in Heaven therefore this we readily grant and firmly believe But that our Lord 's whole Priesthood doth lie in this or that he only in this place and state doth expiate sin or that his resemblance herein to the High-Priest is sufficient that we utterly deny For 1. The Scripture as hath been proved in drawing the parrallel 'twixt Christ and the Law-Sacrifices doth not instance only in what was done by the High-Priest in the Holy of Holy's but also in what was done by the other Priests in the Temple and in those sacrificial acts which were proper to them as well as to him Nay 2. It mainly instances in these making the resemblance chiefly to lie in the mactation and oblation of those Sacrifices which was done without and therefore it must be Christ's death on the Cross and not his intercession in Heaven which must be meant by them 3. As that which is asserted by our Opposers would utterly destroy all analogie 'twixt Christ and those Priests and the far greatest part of Sin-expiating Sacrifices so it would in truth leave Christ no Sacrifice or oblation at all inasmuch as what he doth in Heaven cannot in any strictness or propriety of speaking come under the notion of an oblation or Sacrifice There indeed is the presenting commemorating pleading of the Sacrifice which he offer'd here on earth but that 's all he improves the Sacrifice there upon the Throne but he made it here upon the Cross he applys the expiation there but he wrought it here 4. 'T is true the High Priest entred into the Sanctuary and there expiated sin but 't was with the blood which had been shed and offered without some of that blood before offered upon the Priest's Altar he carried into the Holy of Holy's and there presented it before the Lord and so made atonement Had he gone in thither without this blood and only have shown himself before God it would have signified nothing what he there did was grounded upon the virtue of the preceding oblation which was only now in a more solemn manner represented before the Lord. Just so it is with our Lord Jesus he entred into Heaven and there intercedes as our High-Priest to his Father but the efficacy of this his intercession is founded upon his blood shed when he was here on earth take away his oblation here and take away his intercession there for 't is that which gives the efficacy and prevalency to this Therefore he 's said to enter into the holy place but how why by his own blood Heb. 9.11 he must first shed his blood here upon Earth and then carry the virtue and merit of it with him into Heaven and so he may expect to do something which upon his meer appearance in Heaven he could not have done So that there must be something in Christ's Priesthood and Sacrifice more than what is proper to him now he is above in correspondency to what was done by the High-Priest in his entring into the Holy of Holy's and there expiating sin I think if all be put together which hath been spoken upon this account the Truth which I contend for is written as with the beams of the Sun therefore I 'le say no more Of the Effect of Christ's Sacrifice viz. the condemning of sin the Second thing propounded to be spoken unto Thus I have finished the first thing propounded for the clearing of the Observation namely Christ's being a Sacrifice for sin Where I have shown that he was a Sacrifice what a kind of Sacrifice he was and when or where he was such a Sacrifice The Second thing propounded to be opened was the Effect or Efficacy of this Sacrifice viz. the condemning of sin and for sin condemned sin in the flesh In this I 'le be but very brief because it falls in with what hath been already insisted upon Here was a strange and wonderful Sacrifice the most costly one that ever was offered up to God therefore surely something that is extraordinary and great must be effected by it and so there was What was that why Sin was cut off taken out of the way as condemned persons use to be its guilt abolish'd or expiated wherein you have heard the condemning of it doth mainly consist How this is set forth by such terms as answer to the Law-Sacrifices I have already shown Heb. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Rev. 1.5 Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood but there are some other terms by which 't is set forth which have not as yet been mentioned As namely the taking away of sin Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world 1 Joh. 3.5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins which taking away of sin was a thing far above the power of the Levitical Sacrifices Heb. 10.4 For it is not possible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sins So also the finishing and making an end of sin Dan. 9.24 to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins where the finishing of transgression is not the filling up of its full measure
pleasing to God Phil. 4.18 But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleas'd Heb. 13.16 And to summe up all holiness of heart and life that 's an excellent Sacrifice excelling all the old Law Sacrifices whatsoever 1 Sam. 15.22 Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams Micah 6.6 7 8. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God The * Vis Deos propitiare bonus esto Satis illos coluit quisquis imitatus est Senec. Ep. 9.5 Non immolationibus sanguine multo colendus est Deus sed mente purâ bono honestóque proposito Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. p. 62. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 3. with many more in Stuck de Sacrif p. 153. col 2. Saubert de Sac. c. 1. p. 4. HEATHENS themselves upon the light of Nature look'd upon moral goodness as the best and most acceptable Sacrifice I 'me sure Evangelical Holiness is so The wickedness of the Jews made God even to abhorre and slight the Sacrifices which were instituted by himself as we find Isa 1.11 c. Isa 66.3 Jer. 6.20 7.21 c. Amos 5.21 22. if we live in sin we may offer this and that to God but 't is all nothing nay that makes all our Sacrifices an abomination to him Prov. 15.8 Oh live the holy life keep the heart pure mortifie whatever is evil do good shun all excesses be heavenly in your affections in all things act in complyance with God's Nature and Will c. this will please him more than the most costly oblations which you can bring to him These are the Sacrifices which now under the Gospel we are to offer and surely we should offer them with all readiness and faithfulness our Lord having submitted to the bloody Sacrifice of himself on the Cross and left us none but these easie and delightful Sacrifices how reareadily should we close with them But so much for this Vse A third shall put an end to this Subject and that is of Comfort Was Christ a Sacrifice for sin Vse 3. For Comfort to Believers did he thereby condemn sin what doth this Truth drop but honey and sweetness to them who are in Christ I say to them who are in Christ for they are the persons only who can lay hold upon the grace contain'd in it as the non-condemnation of the person in the first verse so the condemnation of sin in this belongs only to such You that are in the number of these to you I bring glad tydings matter of great joy out of the bitter comes sweet for Christ to do die as a Sacrifice this was bitter to him but 't is sweet to you his death passion and whole humilation speak nothing to you but consolation Oh did Believers especially such as are under a troubled spirit but better understand and better improve this sin-condemning Sacrifice they would certainly have more of inward peace and comfort than now they have I must not in fist upon the particular and full drawing out of that consolatory matter which it affords therefore shall conclude with a brief review only of what the Text offers And so 1. here 's a Sacrifice for sin All men in ADAM having sinned wilfully after that they had receiv'd the knowledge of the truth there might have been no Sacrifice for their sin to allude to that Heb. 10.26 but the gracious God notwithstanding all this was pleas'd to admit of a Sacrifice yea himself to find out and ordain that Sacrifice here 's matter of comfort 2. Christ himself was this Sacrifice And if so how pleasing must it needs be to God! Eph. 5.2 and hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour I tell you there was infinitely more in this one Sacrifice to please God than there is in all your sins put them all together to displease God If Christ be the Sacrifice there must be an infinite efficacy and merit in it from the dignity of his person an infiniteness of merit must needs result if he will die and shed his blood what can be too high for you surely too there 's more in his Offering to save you than there is in Sin to damn you If he be the Sacrifice no question but the Father did accept of it and indeed of this he hath given sufficient evidence to the world not only by his carriage towards the Saints but also and chiefly by his carriage towards Christ himself for whereas of old he was wont to testifie his acceptation of the Sacrifices by consuming them by fire from heaven Gen. 15.17 Levit. 9.24 Judg. 6.21 2 Chron. 7.1 here with respect to Christ's Sacrifice he testify'd his acceptance in an higher way viz. by raising him from the dead taking him up to heaven re-admiting him into his presence and setting him at his Son had he not been well-pleased with his person and oblation Oh there 's a convincing evidence of this in his going to the Father Joh. 16.8 10. By this Sacrifice thus accepted you are made perfect as you have often heard out of Heb. 10.14 18. there 's nothing now to be done by Christ or by you but only to apply and improve what he hath already done is not this ground of strong consolation And know further for your comfort that the vertue of Christ's Offering is as great now as it was at the first his blood is as effectual with God for your good now as it was when it was just running warm from his veins and * Adeò magnum est hoc Sacrificium ut quamvis unum sit semel oblatum sufficiat ad aeternitatem Anselm so it shall be to the end of the world And that he may make the best of it he is entred into the holy place where 't is his business to present and plead the merit thereof he back 's his oblation on earth with his intercession in heaven and what can be spoken higher for your support comfort he that was the Sacrifice here is the Advocate there 3. By this Sacrifice Sin was condemn'd Sin condemn'd what a word is that that which would have condemned you and which only can condemn you that is by Christ condemn'd it-self condemning sin is condemn'd by a condemned Saviour And
Gospel as well as under the Law Page 13 'T is not only No Condemnation to Believers but positive Salvation Page 16 Of the dreadfulness of Condemnation Page 25 How it may be avoided Page 32 Persons exempted from it are to be thankful and chearful Page 37 c. What the Condemning of Sin is Page 460 There may be troubles in the Conscience after Sin and yet Sin may reign Page 212 The Contrariety of the two Walkings Page 95 The Corrupt Nature set forth by Flesh Vide Flesh The Covenant of Redemption touched upon Page 298 Of the New Creature Page 65 Of the crucifying the Flesh Page 66 D. The Law of Death opened Page 152 249 Sin and Death go together especially when 't is the Law of Sin Page 250 How the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Death Page 253 c. Comfort from hence to such against the Fear of Death Page 257 In temptations to Sin 't is good to consider that 't is Sin and Death Page 254 Comfort to Believers as to Death from their Vnion with Christ Page 81 Christ's Death a strong Dissuasive from walking after the Flesh Page 128 The main Ends of Christ's Death made good against the Socinians Page 518 c. Man had not died if he had not sinned Page 250 Of the Saints Dignity from their Vnion with Christ Page 96 Of the Dominion of Sin See the Law of Sin E. The converting Spirit works efficaciously and irresistibly Page 234 Of the spiritualness of a mans Ends. Page 111 Expiation of sin by Christ's Sacrifice Page 449 That finished on Earth not done in Heaven Page 505 The Nature of this Expiation Page 510 The Extent of it Page 511 Vide Sacrifice F. God the Father's Love to be admired in his sending of Christ Page 303 Saints are to think well of God the Father as well as of God the Son Page 305 Faith the Bond in the Mystical Vnion Page 49 Faith to be repeated in fresh applications to Christ Page 553 There are but few in Christ Page 118 Flesh is in the Best Page 91 All particular Sins comprehended in Flesh Page 97 Of being in the Flesh and walking after the Flesh ibid. Flesh taken for corrupt Nature Page 99 Why that is set forth by Flesh Page 100 Flesh considered more Generally Page 99 Particularly Page 101 The Philosophical notion of Flesh and Spirit Page 105 What it is to walk after the Flesh Vide Walking What the Flesh is by which the Law is made weak Page 263 Of Christ's being sent in Flesh that opened Page 375 He did not bring his Flesh from Heaven Page 376 Of the verity of his Flesh against the antient Hereticks Page 377 379 380 That proved ibid. How he was sent in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 406 c. And but in the likeness of sinful Flesh Page 410 c. Of the excellency of Christ's Flesh Page 417 He as sent in Flesh is to be believed on Page 424 Of Freedom from the Law of Sin Vide the Law of Sin Freedom from its Guilt and from its Power Page 150 Of Christ's Fulfilling the Law Vide Law G. The eternal Generation of Christ the Son of God proved Page 324 c. The difference between that and common Generation Page 356 Its mysteriousness Page 354 Of the excellency of the Gospel and Christian Religion Page 415 The Priviledges of Believers under the Gospel above those under the Law Page 450 Grace set forth by Spirit and the Reasons why 't is so Page 104 c. There should be in Saints a Growth in Spiritualness Page 137 Of the Spirits being a Guide Page 108 Whether Christ took our very Guilt upon him Affirmed Page 490 H. Heaven made credible upon Christ's Incarnation Page 447 Holiness press'd from Vnion with Christ Page 75 From being made free from the Law of Sin Page 225 From the Incarnation of Christ Page 437 The Holiness and sinlesness of Christ's Humane Nature Page 411 The necessity thereof Page 414 The difference of the Humane Nature as in Christ and as in us Page 386 Of the advancement of the Humane Nature by Christ's assuming it Page 451 Christ to be highly Honoured 'T is shewn wherein Page 363 Humiliation the way to Consolation Page 5 6 Saints to be humbled that they were so long under the Law of sin and that sin still hath such a power in them Page 217 c. As also that there should be that Flesh in them by which God 's own Law is made weak Page 271 Humility press'd from Christ's taking our Nature Page 437 Of the HypostaticalVnion Vide Vnion I. About the Idem and the Tantundem With respect to Christ's Sufferings Page 489 To his Active Obedience Page 608 c. Of the Imputation of Christ's Active Obedience Vide Obedience How the imputation thereof is to be stated Vide ibid. The Incarnation of Christ largely discoursed of Page 372 c. His Mission and his Incarnation two distinct things Page 376 The Latter not impossible not incredible Page 386 The Grounds laid down why Christ was Incarnate Page 387 c. Prophesies and Types of it ibid. Seven Propositions insisted upon for the explication of it Page 393 c. What benefit had they by Christ who lived before his Incarnation Page 397 Why he was Incarnate just at that time when he was incarnate Page 398 A firm Assent is to be given to the Verity of Christ's Incarnation as also a firm Adherence to him as incarnate Page 420 c. Many other Duties urged from this Incarnation Page 426 c. As also the Comfort of it to Believers is set forth in several Particulars Page 441 c. Whether if Man had not sinned Christ had been incarnate Neg. Page 406 Of Inclinations Good or Evil and their difference in the Godly and Others Page 110 The severity of God's Justice in Christ's being a Sacrifice Page 543 The Law unable to Justifie Page 266 Whether there be two distinct integral parts of Justification Page 602 In the Justifying of Sinners God proceeds upon the fulfilling of the Laws righteousness Page 610 As to Christ we are justified by Works as to our selves by Faith Page 610 L. Law of Sin what it is Page 151 What the Law of the Spirit is Page 159 All Vnregenerate persons under the Law of Sin Page 169 c. How Sin is a Law opened in the proper improper notion of a Law Page 172 c. Wherein Sin acts as a Law Page 177 How it may be known when it is the Law of sin That particularly opened Page 179 c. All the Regenerate are freed from the Law of Sin Page 154 203 c. They are freed from Sin only as 't is a Law Page 149 203 206 Their freedom from the Law of Sin proved from Scripture and Argument Page 207 c. How fâ—r men may go and yet not be freed from the Law of Sin Page 210 A serious Exhortation to all to get free from it
would much embolden you in your addresses to God Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Heb. 4.14 16. Seeing we have a great high Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh and having an High Priest over the house of God Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Had Joseph's Brethren known that their own brother had been so near to Pharaoh with what confidence would they have addressed themselves to him Believers Christ your Brother who is flesh of your flesh is at God's right hand as the great Master of Requests the great Dispenser of Mercies why do you not more improve this for the emboldening of your Spirits when in Prayer you go to God 'T is a great thing for the Saints Comfort to consider how things were formerly under the Law and how they are now under the Gospel Then God carried it in a way of greater state and majesty then he kept a greater distance and was more hardly accessible see how the Apostle sets it forth Heb. 9.1 c. Then verily the first Covenant had also Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly Sanctuary For there was a Tabernacle made the first wherein was the Candlestick c. and after the second vail the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all Which had the golden Censer c. Now when these things were thus ordained the Priests went alwayes into the first Tabernacle accomplishing the Service of God But into the second went the high Priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people The Apostle here takes notice of the partition or division of the Tabernacle for the * Of this and of the whole Tabernacle see Joseph Antiq. Jud. l. 3. c. 5. Atrium or outer Court where the people used to be that he speaks not of only he meddles with the first and second Tabernacle where the ordinary Priests and the high Priest did officiate Now he saith the first of these were to go no further than the first Tabernacle the People might not go so far the high Priest might go into the second Tabernacle the Sanctum Sanctorum but how with great restrictions he must go alone but * Austine whom Sigonius follows differs in his interpretation of this Quod autem scriptum est Pontificem sèmel in Anno solum Sancta esse ingressum S. Augustinus interpretatur eum quotidie quidem ingressum esse propter incensum ac semel in Anno propter expiationem cum sanguine purificationis Verùm possumus etiam dicere eum quotidiè quidem Sanctuarium esse ingressum sed Sacerdotum comitatu stipatum semel autem in Anno solum i.e. sine Sacerdotibus in die expiationum Sigon de Rep. Hebrae l. 5. c. 2. For this Opinion he is severely taken up by P. Cunaeus de Rep. Heb. l. 1. c. 4. once a year and that too not without blood see Exod. 30.10 Levit. 16. and God was so strict about this that it was as much as his life was worth even for him at any other time to venture into the Holy of Holy's Levit. 16.2 The Lord said unto Moses speak unto Aaron thy brother that he come not at all times into the Holy place within the vail before the Mercy-seat which is upon the Ark that he die not for I will appear in the cloud upon the Mercy-seat Well! not to instance in the restraints laid upon the Priests Levites c. which the Word also mentions what might God's meaning be in this see Vers 8. The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing as if the Apostle had said let not any wonder that God then would keep men at such a distance here was the reason of it or the mystery which was at the bottom of it Christ was not yet come the true Tabernacle was not as yet erected the first Tabernacle was only then standing Christ had not assum'd the Nature of Man thereby to make way for man freely to go to God therefore the way to the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest But now under the Gospel Christ being incarnate and gone to heaven in our flesh now all may go to God freely the way to him is open every believer in the world may now enter into the Holy of Holy's all former restraints and distances are now taken away Mark the Scripture cited already Heb. 10.19 20. Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh By this flesh Christ's Humane Nature or Christ in the Humane Nature is unquestionably meant which he calls the vail in allusion to that in the Tabernacle wherein there was a twofold vail one that covered the Ark Exod. 40.3 And cover the Ark with the vail the other which separated betwixt the Atrium and the first Tabernacle as also betwixt the first Tabernacle and the second Exod. 26.33 And the vail shall divide unto you between the Holy place and the most Holy so Heb. 9.3 And after the second vail the Tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all to which he also alludes Heb. 6.19 which entreth into that which is within the vail Now with respect to these vails Christ's Flesh or Manhood is set forth by the vail 1. as his Godhead for a time was hid and covered under it 2. as believers through this do go to God as it is the way into the Holiest And so 't is here brought in for he saith by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh You see what these Texts drive at and what the Apostle draws from them viz. that Saints now upon the Manhood of Christ should with boldness enter into the Holiest and draw neer to God with full assurance of Faith this is their unspeakable priviledge under the Gospel which they should improve and rejoyce in This is the fourth thing for Comfort God is now knowable and accessible The Humane Nature is by Christ's Incarnation highly dignify'd and advanc'd 5. Fifthly This cannot but be exceedingly delightful to us to consider the advancement and dignity