A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament

CHAP. I. A Praeliminary Discourse upon the Life of Christ in General, whose Life is called the Light of Men, John 1.4. before we treat in particular upon his Conception, Birth, Circumcision, Private Life, &c.

MANY Learned Men (both Heathen and Christian ) Have Undertaken to write the Lives of the great Heroes and Grand Worthies of the World in all Ages, Countries and Kingdoms. Among Heathen Authors Tacitus and Suetonius, &c. have written the Lives of the Roman Caesar's: And others have given their Narratives of the Lives of other Grandees; But Brave Plutarch bears the Bell above All in that Heathen Academy, for writing the Lives of the Grecian and Roman Sages and Champions, in so copious a Volume, and in so elegant a style, making them Run in parallel lines of correspondency each to other, &c.

Among Christian Authors, Eusebius hath writ the Life of Constantine the Great, &c. And many more have done worthily at Ephratah, and been famous at Bethlehem, for writing the Lives of the Antient Fathers of the Church, &c. yet all These are but low Things to the Life of the Lord Jesus, the Redeemer of the World: The Lives of the Heathen Philosophers are below the Lives of the Christian Fathers; but even these and the best men's lives in the World, do fall Infinitely short of this Life of Christ, which transcends all other beyond a parallel.

The Life of Christ is a life of such transcendency, that though many Undertook to write it, Luke 1.1. yet was it fit work for none but for the Four Evangelists, who were all extraordinarily qualified (by Divine Inspiration) for that High Enterprize; and were Eye-witnesses of those great Truths, which They do distinctly yet coherently Record concerning Christ. Hereupon, though others Attempted, yet none Effected it, save these Four, who [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Took it in hand: Matthew wrote his Gospel Eight years after Christ, Mark Ten, Luke Fifteen, and John forty two. According to the common opinion from the most Antient Copies. Whoever writes the Life of our Lord Jesus, must light their Lamp at this Golden Candlestick, having these four flaming Candles all lighted by Fire from Heaven. To fetch any feigned Stories of Christ (not founded upon Gospel-Evidence) from other fabulous Authors, is, but a speaking wickedly for God, and talking deceitfully for Him, Job 13.7. As my Design is to Avoid this latter, so my Desire is to Observe the former. In this Essay I shall shift off and shun the cunningly Devised Fables, (Artificially compiled and composed, not without some show of Wisdom and Truth) such as the Romanists lying Legends abound withal: It being but a laborious loss of Time to search into such Things, whereof we can have neither Proof, nor Profit, the Gains will not pay for the Pains: And the Task about Toys can never be worthy the Toil, 1 Tim. 4.7. 2 Tim. 4.4. Tit. 1.14. and 2 Pet. 1.16. I shall therefore keep close to the more sure word, ver. 19. Scripture Authority.

N. B. The Life of the Lord Jesus hath a manifold preeminency Col. 1.18. above the best Lives of the choicest and chiefest of all mortal men, in many respects:

As, First, The Life which Christ lived upon Earth, was not only a Godly Life, but it was a Life without the least praevarication from the Rule. This Immaculate Lamb did lead such an Immaculate Life, that he challenged his most Critical Adversaries to convince him of any one sin, John 8.46. &c.

Secondly, The Life of Christ, was not only a Godly Life in complete Universal Obedience to the Commands of God, but it was the very Life of God: 'It is said of some men, that they are Alienated from the Life of God, Eph. 4.18. that is, They cannot live a Godly Life, because they do not partake of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. not having the Image of God Imprinted on them, nor the Life of God Imparted to them: But 'tis said expressly that Christ's Life was [God manifested in the Flesh] 1 Tim. 3.16. and that Christ is the express Image of God's Person, and the Brightness of His Glory, Heb. 1.3: The Father and the Son are called Equals in the Greek Plural, Phil. 2.6. that is, every way Equal, in Being, Life and Operation, Christ is Alius from the Father, not aliud, yet Co-essential and Co-equal, not a secondary Inferior God, as Arius saith.

Thirdly, That Christ led not only the Godly Life of a mere Man, but also the Godly Life of [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] God-Man. So he had a Duplication of a Godly-Life, both that of an Holy God, and that also of an Holy Man, and both in purity and perfection.

Fourthly, Christ lived in his Human Nature, not only a single Temporal, Godly Life upon Earth (like that of a Godly Man ) to wit, from his Birth to his Burial; but even a Double one also, to wit, from his Resurrection to his Ascension, beside that of Eternal Life (in the same Nature in Heaven.

Fifthly, Over and Above all These, may be added, That the Godly Life which Christ led upon Earth (as the Son of Man ) was the light of Men, John 1.4. His Life was a Lovely and Lively Looking Glass, for all men to Dress themselves by in their Generation-Work both of Doing God's Work, and of suffering God's Will. The Life of Christ is the most perfect pattern of all True Piety, for our Practice and Imitation. We must all learn of him, Mat. 11.29. and we should walk, as he walked, 1 John 2.6.

From hence naturally ariseth this great Fundamental, and most Evangelical Divine Truth. That

[The most Sanctimonious Life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the light, the Lanthorn and Law, whereby all Men, Women, and Children ought to be Directed in all parts both of Active and Passive obedience, while they live in this lower World. They must all live as their Lord lived.]

For the further and fuller Illustration of the light Hereof, let me call in (besides those two Texts aforementioned, to wit, Mat. 11.29. and 1 John 2.6. Hereafter Amplified) other corroborating Scriptures. As,

First, It is expressly asserted by the Apostle Peter, that the life of Christ was the leaving us an Example, 1 Pet. 2.21. the word is, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,] which signifies a Copy to write after, A Samplar to work by, and the most perfect pattern to Regulate our steps in walking the good ways of God.

Secondly, The Apostle Paul affirmeth, that whom God doth foreknow, them he doth Praedestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son, &c. Rom. 8.29. Now this Conformity to Christ is extensive; (1.) To his Holiness and Diligence in Doing his Father's work. He must be about it, Luke 2.49. and it was Meat and Drink to Him to be so employed, John 4.34. (2.) To his Humility and Patience in suffering his Father's Will, Mat. 26.39. and thus the same Apostle was Ambitious to become conformable to Christ's Death (as well as to his Life ) Phil. 3.10. And, (3.) To his Happiness and Glory in Heaven as the Wages of that Double work on Earth, which also was the Top-branch of the same Apostle's Ambition, That His Body might be fashioned like the glorious body of Christ, (which is the principal Standard of Glory) Phil. 3.21. 1 Cor. 15.20, 49, &c.

Thirdly, Our Lord Jesus himself saith, That He hath given us an Example for doing as he hath done, &c. John 13.15. The Greek word is [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,] which signifies a pointing out our way to us, and therefore are we so oft bid to Follow Him, and if we be Right Followers of Christ, we must Tread in the same Foot-steps of Christ; In so Doing we shall find that his footsteps drop fatness (for us to gather up for the fattening of our Souls) Psal. 65.11. And if we be Disciples of Christ, we must learn of Him to be lowly and Meek, &c. Mat. 11.29. we must learn to be Holy as He was, 1 Pet. 1.15. and p • re as He, 1 John 3.3. and the same mind must be in us that was in Christ, Phil. 2.5. act as a Picture resembles a Man in outward Lineaments only, but as a Child his Father in Inward Dispositions also, for Christ is our Father, Isa. 9.6.

And thus are we bid to Preach forth the Praises, Virtues, and Graces of Christ, (as the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,] signifies, 1 Pet. 2.9. Our Lives should be as so many Sermons upon Christ 's Life, while we strive to express Him to the World in all His Imitable Excellencies. Our suitable Holy practice is the bese sort of Preaching forth Christ's praise: The Image of this our Dearest Friend, should not only be Hung up in the Private Closets of our Hearts, but also in the most Conspicuous places of our Lives. This is to walk in Christ, Col. 2.6. not daring to take so much as one step out of Him who is the way, (to walk in) the Truth, (to walk with) and the Life (to walk by) John 14.6. And this is to walk as he walked (treading in and following his Holy footsteps) If we abide in him, 1 John 2.6.

In this General Discourse upon the Life of Christ, there be three things next to be Discussed, The Caution, Counsel and Comfort hereof.

First, The Caution. It may not be Imagined unnecessary to build some Battlements about this lofty structure, to secure Children and Fools from Toppling and Tumbling over. Know then that the Actions of Christ's Life are of three sorts. 1. Miraculous. 2. Moral. And 3. Mediatory. As to the First which were Miraculous, They are not set down in Scripture as Actions Imitable by us poor Mortals, for some of them were personal as of the World's Redeemer, Thus was he born of a Virgin, which we cannot be, He suffered upon the Cross for the World's Ransom, and for Sin's Expiation▪ which we cannot Do. Nor can we Rise again the third Day, as He did for our Justification, and Ascended Triumphingly into Heaven, lead Captivity Captive, &c. wherein we cannot Immitate Christ. Those and such like were our Redeemer's Personal Actions, and peculiar only to him as Incommunicable to any other. There be other Actions of Christ (beside those Personal ) which are not only Praeter-natural, but also Supernatural; As were, His Fasting Forty Days, His Giving sight to the Blind, Life to the Dead, &c. Now for any Mortal to presume an Imitation of Christ in the Former of these, is no better than Blasphemy. These were the proper Prerogatives of Christ 's Person. And for any man to strive as presuming to follow Him in the Latter (which were all Miraculous ) is a mere Impossibility, Christ did such works as never any Man did, Joh. 9.32. Therefore we are nowhere bid, to make a new World, to walk on the Sea, &c. as he did.

Secondly, Next to Christ's Miraculous, (both Personal and Supernatural) are his Moral Actions to be considered. And these we are to Imitate our Lord in, He commands us to learn from him the right Practice of those two Twin-Sister-Graces of Meekness and Lowliness, Mat. 11.29. and to follow his very footsteps in the practic part of his Holy Life: Christ is the Head of the Church, which is the Body, Eph. 1.22, 23. Now as the Body Natural follows the Head naturally, so ought the Body Mystical to follow Christ Spiritually in all his Morals, though not in any of his Miracles; especially in those two Moral Virtues, or rather Evangelical Graces [Meekness and Lowliness] which so walk hand in hand together, as they are there called Christ's Yoke. The Yokes that the Flesh, the World, and the Devil lay upon Mankind are manifold, but Christ's Yoke is but one, not many. All Gospel-Duties are reducible to one single Head, Rom. 10.9. that is, to Faith which worketh by Love, Gal. 5.6. There is but one main Duty, and this is the Whole Duty of Man, Eccles. 12.13. which hath Two Objects and Two Offices: The two Objects be God and Man. The Grace of Lowliness giveth to God his Due, and the Grace of Meekness giveth also to Man his Due. And the Two Offices do concern the Debt (as the two Objects do the Due) for Lowliness gives, and Meekness forgives the Debt: Both these in conjunction make up Christ's Yoke as one, which, while it is Green ( and we be unaccustomed to the Yoke, Jer. 31.18.) seems Heavy; but when this Yoke of Christ comes to be Dryed, Tryed, and Worn a while, then it proves Easie (as Christ calls it. Mat. 11.30.) and very Light, after a Man is once used a little to it, (though perhaps He cannot fadge so well with it at the first) 'tis then no more a Burden than Wings are to a Bird wherewith she flies aloft when and whither she listeth: That which maketh this Yoke of Christ easy, is, that Christ beareth up the heaviest part of it upon his own Shoulders, as He did the cross-burdensome end of his own Cross, when Simon the Cyrenian bore only the Lower and Lighter end upon his Shoulders after Jesus, Luke 23.26. And Christ gives his Spirit to help our Infirmities, in all those Duties which He Himself Acted in his own Person, for our Instruction and Imitation; Hereby come we up to Delight in doing the Will of God, Psal. 40.8. This main Duty of Man is yet a Yoke, lest any should Presume, but still 'tis a light and easy Yoke, lest any should Despair. This confuteth Carnal-Gospellers on the one Hand, and the Monkish Merit-Mongers on the other hand; assuredly our Lord Jesus, by passing through all the parts of Active and Passive Obedience, hath made all Gospel duties both easy Imitable and Delectable too, now no command of God is grievous, 1 John 5.3. &c.

N. B. Thus a serious Meditation upon the Meekness of Christ, did most powerfully convert the Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8.32, 33, &c. And we read of an Earl called Eleazar, who being oft overcome with Immoderate Anger, was cured of that Head-strong Passion and Inordinate Affection, by his sedulous studying upon the Patience of Christ, which consideration He never suffered to pass out of his meditating and musing mind, before He found his Heart transformed into his Savior 's Similitude, as Surius (who writes this Earl 's Lise ) tells the Story of this Passionate Prince.

Thirdly, The Actions of Christ are not only Miraculous and Moral, but also Mediatory, as Christ's Dying, Rising again, and Ascending, &c. As we ought to Imitate Christ in his Moral Works by a Real Doing and Suffering as we have Him for Our Example. So must we imitate him in his Mediatory Works by way of Similitude, This is done by Translating that to our Spiritual Life, which He did as our Mediator. That is, we must Dye to Sin, Live to Righteousness, Ascend up to God with our Desires, and Sit down at his Right Hand with our Affections.

Besides this, There is a Conformity to him in the framing of our Inward and Spiritual Life, which consists not in a doing what Christ did upon the Cross, &c. but in Doing the like by a certain kind of imitation. As, (1.) As Christ resigned up himself an offering with strong Prayer and Tears, &c. so should we give up ourselves to God, as a Spiritual Oblation, and as a Reasonable Sacrifice, Ps. 40.8. and Rom. 12.1.

(2.) As He bare his own Cross, &c. so ought we to bear ours, Luke 9.24. If it lays 'twixt us and our Duty.

(3.) We must be like Him in Crucifying and Mortifying the Cursed Body of Sin, as was done by the Cursed Jews to his blessed Body ) Gal. 5.24.

(4.) When we have wounded it by the Sword of the Spirit, even to Death, then must we bury it as he was.

(5.) We must rise again out of the Grave of Sin to serve God in Newness of Life, so get gradually out of the Dungeon, as Jeremy did. Jer. 38.12.

(6.) We must Ascend like him into Heaven in our Desires, &c. Phil. 3.20. Col. 3.1.

Nor is it the Pattern of Christ that doth effect this only (as the Socinians say) but 'tis also the Virtue and Power of Christ's Death and Resurrection &c. that works all these Things effectually in his Called and Chosen, not as an Exemplary Cause, or as a Moral Cause by way of Meditation, but as having a Force and Power Obtained by it, and Issuing out of it, Phil. 3.10. Even the Spirit, that killeth sin, and quickens the Soul to all Holy Practice.

N. B. To know Christ aright, is a most excellent work, and the worthiest part of Heavenly Wisdom Yea satisfactory and salutiferous to the Soul of Man, Isa. 53.11. Joh. 17.3. 1 Cor. 2.2. Gal. 6.14. and Phil. 3 8. This Divine knowledge consists of lively Affection, as well as of particular Application, and a Notional Consideration. 'It is the common Rule of expounding Scripture [that works of knowledge imply Affection. ] 'It is not enough to know Christ notionally. The Devils do so, nor must we barely know Him, either as God, or as Man, or as a Jew of Judah 's Tribe, or as Judge of the World, but especially as a Redeemer, and as our Redeemer by whom all God's benefits (both Temporal and Spiritual) are conveyed to us, and Received by us. The Three grand benefits by Christ, Are, 1. His Merits, Price and Ransom, whereby we are Reconciled to God, &c. 2. His Virtue, or Power of His Death and Resurrection, Phil. 3.8, 10. 3. His Example. To which we should conform Simply and Absolutely without exception, not so to that of the highest Saints, who had sinful frailty as well as holy Graces, &c.

The Second Thing (after this Caution) is the Counsel God's word gives us concerning this imitation of Christ. N. B. In the daily Practice of true Piety, both as to Inward and Outward Life, all Christ's Actions are for our Instruction, not All for our Imitation: we may not Imitate the Works of Christ that were Miraculous, nor such as were Personal and Proper to Him as Mediator. The Ignorance of which hath carried some Impostors to Counterfeit themselves to be Christ. Nor need we Indeavour to imitate Him in his Natural (therefore unblamable) Infirmities (which had weakness in them, but not Sin ) we are not to strive to be Hungry, Weary, Sleepy, &c. because He was sometimes so. But we must imitate our Lord Jesus in all his imitable Graces and Actions, both walking in Christ, Col. 2.6. and walking as Christ, 1 John 2.6. and following his steps, preaching forth the praises of him that called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light, 1 Pet. 2.9, 21. And though we cannot follow him Passibus Aequis taking such long strides as he did; yet must we show our Good-will, Mark. 14.8. Stretching and straining out our outmost, as Paul did, Phil. 3.13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Reaching forth his Head, Hands and whole Body (as do Runners in a Race) to lay hold on the price proposed.

Conformity to Christ and Nonconformity to the World, are both the certain commendable and comfortable Duties of every good Christian, Rom. 8.29. and 12.2. The First is Conformity to Christ, which may be enforced by these three Arguments.

(1.) Seeing Christ condescended so low as to Conform Himself to us in taking our Human Nature, Attended with Hunger, Weariness, and all other Infirmities, Sin only excepted, Heb. 2.17. & 4.15. & 1 Pet. 2.22. &c. How much more ought we to press after a partaking of his Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. that we may be Conformed to his Holy Image unto which we are Praedestinated, Rom. 8.29.

The (2.) Argument is, Seeing the Image of God, favor from Him and Fellowship with Him, be the Branches of Man's Antient Glory, in the State of Innocency, which the Subtle Serpent did Deceive us of in the Fall; 'It is but rational, and requisite, that we put ourselves forth to the utmost, for recovering them by Conforming them to Christ, that we may Gain again by the Second Adam All the Three Gifts lost by the First Adam.

And the Third Reason is Where there is no Conformity to Christ, there can be no Salvation had. The Means must not be separated from the End, as Acts 27.30. Except these stay in the Ship, ye cannot be saved. So here, except we be Holy, we can never be Happy. God hath chosen us in Christ before the Foundation of the World, that we should be Holy, Eph. 1.4. and without Holiness no man can see the Lord, Heb. 12.14. Blessed are the pure in heart (and life) for They shall see God, Mat. 5.8. We must purify ourselves as Christ is pure, 1 John 3.3. And this Purity or Holiness is our Conformity to the Image of the Holy Child Jesus, for undoubtedly God gave Christ to be a Samplar, as well as He Gave Him to be a Savior. 'It is the mistake of the Arminians to put Christ to an Arbitration, in their assigning Ninety Nine parts to Him in the work of Conversion, and the Hundred, part to Man, contrary to Col. 3.11. where Christ is called [All and in All.] The whole of that Divine work flows from the Free Grace of Christ, and not any part of it from the Free Will of Man, and we have no Commission to bate one Ace in that point. Yet the Error of the Socinians is of a far grosser Brann; In their Asserting Christ to be a Pattern only, and not a Propitiation at all. They suppose Him only a Samplar for our bare Imitation, but no way a Savior for our Sins Expiation. Thus they quite exclude Christ from the Justification of the Penitent and Believing Sinner, quite contrary to the whole, Tenure of the Holy Scriptures, and they make Christ no more than a Mere Martyr, for all the Holy Martyrs were Patterns and Samplars of Sanctity, both in their Sanctimonious Doings and Sufferings; If, Christ signified no more than a Samplar.

N. B. This Conformity to Christ is twofold. The First is partly in this Life. And the Second is partly in the Life to come. (1.) That in this Life we should all Learn of Him, and from His Pious Pattern All those Works of Holiness, which we find Recorded of Him, such as these, His Subjection to his Parents, His Loving of his Brethren, His Painfulness in his Calling, His Perseverance in Prayer, and many more of the like Nature.

We should strive what we can to Resemble Christ in his going about to do good, Acts 10.38. In his fidelity for his function, Heb. 3.1, 2. In his Diligent and Patient Obedi • nce, Heb. 12.2, 3. In his Constancy of Profession, 1 Tim. 6.13. In his Benevolence and Beneficence to poor Saints, 2 Cor. 8.9. And in His love to Brethren, and forgiveness to others, Eph. 5.2. This is Conformity in the practice of Outward and Moral Duties.

The Blind Papists do Blasphemously in making a Play upon Their Good-Friday, wherein They Act over an Apish Imitation of all the personal parts of Christ's Redeeming the World. And They do as Ridiculously in Imitating Christ's Real and Supernatural Miracles, by showing their false and pretended ones. To pretend an Imitation of Christ in his Works of Redemption, is Black Blasphemy: And in his Work of Miracles is a plain Impossibility, but to follow him in his Works of Holiness, is both True Piety and a Manifest Duty▪ We may imitate Him in his Morals, not in his Miracles; Austin saith well, Christ nowhere bids us learn of Him, How to crease a World, or how to Raise the Dead, &c. But how to be Meek and Lowly, and how to Love one another, &c. we must follow him in his Well Doings and in his Patient Suffering for Righteousness-sake. The Thief on the Cross (saith Austin ) was similis in Poenâ, but dissimilis in Causâ: He suffered the same Death with Christ, but not for the same Cause. N. B. This Example of Christ hath more in it than a bare Pattern, or any other Example; for it doth not only show us what we ought to do, but 'tis also both a Remedy against many foul Vices, and a Motive to ••• y good Duties. As 1. A serious Consideration of Christ's suffering the first and second Death for my Sin, this must make me hate my Sin, and myself for Sin, that cost Christ so dear: I am to be blamed, as well as Judas, the Jews, Pilate, &c. Zech. 12.10. 2. This Meditation is a means to breed Reformation, and a Resolation▪ to Sin no more, and not to crucify him afresh, &c. 3. This also must make me think that all my Sorrows and Sufferings are not comparable to Christ's Agony, Bloody Sweat, &c.

The Third Considerable is, the Comfort from hence, which is twofold; 1. In our Conformity to Him here: And 2. In that hereafter: In the first, Christ hath given us such a perfect Pattern of Holiness, as the least Imperfection cannot be found in it: 'It is comfort to a Learner to have a complete Copy before him to write after, that in minding it duly, he may be mending his Letters daily: So may we be mending our Lives of their crookedness much more, if we were more in minding our straight Copy that Christ hath given us for our Example. It is said of Jerome, that having read the Godly Life and Christian Death of Holy Hilarion, he folded up the Book, and said, well this Holy man Hilarion shall be the Champion whom I will follow: Should we not much more say so of this Holy Child Jesus. There is the Regula Regulans, and the Regula Regulata: The Example of Saints is but the Rule Ruled, for the Example of our Savior is the Rule Ruling: The Saints are called a Cloud of Witnesses, Heb. 12.1. That Cloud in the Wilderness had a directive Virtue in it, yet had it a Black-side as well as a Bright: So the best Saints had some soilings of Darkness, some Naevos Patrum, and Imperfections, their Frailties recorded in Scripture are Exemple Cavendi non Cadendi; their Sins are set down as Rocks in Maps, that Sailers may shun them, and not run upon those Rocks to suffer Shipwrack to their Ruin; such as follow the Dark-side of this Cloud of Witnesses, are Egyptians, and are drowned in the bottomless Pit: But such as follow the Light side thereof are Israelites, and pass over to the Heavenly Canaan▪ The Apostle Paul proposes Himself a Pattern, 1 Thess. 1.6. 1 Cor. 10.33. yet with this Restriction, that we should follow him no farther than he followed Christ, 1 Cor. 11.1. not one Inch farther than Christ's perfect Pattern.

In thus Conforming to Christ here, this brings us to our being conformed to Christ hereafter, which is the second Branch of Comfort: If like him in this Life, we shall be like him in that to come: Our Bodies shall be made like unto his Glorious Body, which is the Standard, Phil. 3.21. more glorious than was the Body of Adam in Innocency, the Glory of that second Temple shall exceed the Glory of the first. So there shall be no need of Adam's Mourning as the Jews did, Ezra 3.12. then shall we live and reign with Christ: But it shall not be so by a conforming to the World, (which is the second Branch, to wit, Nonconformity to the World ) For we are bid, be transformed from that into Christ's Image, be Holy with him here, and then Happy with him hereafter.

CHAP. II.

HAving dispatched the General Account of Christ's Life, as it was the Light of Men, showing how we should be conformed to his Image, John 1.4. and Rom. 8.20. Now I come to give a particular Account of his Life, showing how Christ was conformed to Man's Image, even from his Conception to his Ascension: All the steps that he took in this lower World, as He was the Son of Man.

The first step Christ took upon Earth was His Conception in the Womb of the Virgin, which the Apostle affirmeth [Without Controversy, a mighty Mystery] 1 Tim. 3.16. Though the Morals concerning Chris's Meekness, Humility, Holiness, &c. be plain and obvious to the mind of Man, as are all the Moral Duties contained in the two Tables of the Law of Moses: Yet the Intellectuals concerning Christ's Conceptions, are truly called [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] hard to be understood, which some wrest to their own Destruction, 2 Pet. 3.16. by thrusting their dead and putrefied Fancies into the bosom of the Scripture, as of a Mother thereof, like the Harlot, 1 Kings 3.19, 20. N. B. Oh would to God, there were no Strife, no Contention in the Church (but about this grand Point ) which of us can be most conformable to Christ's Image in ways of Holiness, and who can come up highest and nighest to him in Imitation of his Morals and which of us can be the best Writer after that perfect Pattern in pious Practices. We may justly judge it the shame of Mankind, that so many can imitate the Voices of Birds, &c. Yet so few do imitate the Virtues of Christ: But as to those profound Points (called profundum sine Fundo, a depth without a Bottom, Rom. 11.33.) and unsearchable Counsels about Christ's Conception, &c. We can better Admire, than Determine: Pruritus disputandi destruit ecclesiam: An Itch in searching unsearchable Mysteries brings both the Scratch, and the Smart into the Church, saith the Antient Father. N.B. 'It is said, The Spirit of God moved upon the Waters, Gen. 1.2. but sure I am, it is no other than the Spirit of the Devil, that moves so much upon the Waters of Strife, where Men dare be but Circumstantial in Substantials, yet seem so Substantial in Circumstantiali, which concern not the matter of Salvation: Some abstruse Points overcome our Intellectuals, and we cannot subdue them to our understandings: Eorum quae scirc nec datur, nec fas est, docta est Ignorantia: Scientiae appetentia, est insania species: 'tis a learned Ignorance, not to know, what we may not know, 'tis a sort of Madness to search them, saith Austin: It belongs not to us to know secret things, but such as are revealed only: 'It is madness to desire more, and 'tis equally as ridiculous as for an Eagle to desire to Swim, or an Elephant to Fly, whereas God hath not given to either of them any such Appetite: Such Curiosity in Man is from the Devil.

For a more manifest understanding of the History and Mystery of Christ's Conception, • i • necessary to know, as previous thereunto, the twofold Estate of Christ. 1. His Estate of Humiliation. 2. His Estate of Exaltation: The first of these is the matter of our present Discourse.

In his Estate of Humiliation, there were divers Degrees or Steps, like a King coming down from his Throne, descendeth step by step, till he cometh to the last and lowest Step: So the Son of God did gradually descend from his Royal Throne, from that Glory which he had with the Father before the World was founded, John 17.5. and did abase himself to take upon him the Nature of Man, so passed He lower and lower to his dying Day, Phil. 2, 6, 7, 8. Emptying himself (as, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there signifies) all along by passing through many little Deaths all his Life long, till at last he emptied himself out of the World by undergoing that cursed and painful Death of the Cross, his Soul also being heavy to Death, Matth. 26.38. which plainly demonstrates, that Christ at his Conception, took not only a part but the whole Nature of Man upon him, both a Body and a Soul: He took a Body of Flesh, whereby He reconciled us, Col. 1.21, 22. even his own Body, 1 Pet. 2.24. As without Controversy He had a Body, so 'tis most certain He had a Soul too, even the whole Nature of Man: Hence the Fathers ( Irenaeus, Arbanafius, &c.) argue excellently against the Sophistical Disputers of their Days, that had Christ but taken upon him only one Part of the Nature of Man, it had been impossible for Him to be our Redeemer; then had he Redeemed one Part of Man, only with that Part which He assumed: He had therefore a Body to redeem our Bodies, and a Soul to redeem our Souls, so the whole Nature of Man comes to be redeemed by Christ, who took the whole Nature in his Inparnation. Yea, 'tis expressly said, that God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh, &c. Rom. 8.3. Omne simile non est idem; Every like is not the same, saith the Philosopher. Christ indeed took not only Man's whole Nature, but also the Infirmites thereof, which are of two sorts. 1. Those that are sinful: These Christ took not, for no Sin was in Him, 1 Pet. 2.22. He knew no Sin, 2 Cor 5.21. with a practical Knowledge, though with an Intellectual, He knew it, else He could not have reproved it: The Sanctity of Christ's Nature did exclude all sinful Infirmities, just as hot Coals swallow up the Water that is dropped upon them. But 2. There be other Infirmities of our Nature, called Paenal, which are unblameable Passions, and void of Sin, such as, to be Hungry, Thirsty, Weary, &c. These are universal to all the Children of Adam: There be also such Infirmities (beside these common and universal ) which are only Personal, as to have divers Diseases, which arise from particular procuring Causes; these properly Christ took not on him, for He assumed not any Man's Person, but the Nature of Man; yet by way of Proportion, Christ is said to take our Infirmities and to bear our Sicknesses, Matth. 8.17. as he bare our Sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. so by Participation, he bare our Sicknesses, for we may thank the former for the latter, Rev. 2.22. Jezebel 's Bed of Security in Sin, soon brought her to a Bed of Sickness; Asa lays God's Prophet by the heels: And God soon after lays Asa by the heels, diseasing him in his Feet, 2 Chron. 16.10, 12. Sin is an universal Sickness, as well as the proper Cause of it's kinds, John 5.14. 1 Cor. 11.30, &c.

The Reasons why Christ took upon him, not only our Nature, but also these Frailties of our Nature (which yet in him were sinless Infirmities ) are Four.

First, for satisfaction sake, that he might satisfy for our sins: He that must sa ••• e for them, must undergo the whole punishment of them in the way of expiation; hen •• the Prophet saith, He bore our griefs carried our sorrows, was wounded for our Transgr •• sions, bruised for our Iniquities, and became surety for our sins, &c. Isa. 53, 4, 5, 6, 〈◊〉 Dan. 9.24, 26. So that it may as well be said (in sano sensu) that Christ laid down to be sick for us, as to die for us, seeing all his sorrows were not at all for himself 〈◊〉 just one) but wholly and solely for our sakes who are Sinners.

Secondly, To strengthen Faith in the Incarnation, that we might know he was a very Man, because he had the common weaknesses of Mankind, as eating, sleeping, and such like; whereas had not he been subject to all our frailties, we might have doubted whether he had been Man or no, but this helps out belief, &c.

Thirdly, For our Example, that as he was subject to Hunger, Thirst, Cold, and Nakedness, so we should be contented with the like also when called thereunto, as our Pattern did, as above.

Fourthly, But the grand Reason in Scripture is rendered, for his assuming our Infirmities, that he might be more compassionate towards us, Hebr 2.17. He was made like to us 〈◊〉 things, that he might be the more merciful, &c. A Man Visiting the Sick (who himself hath had experience of the same Disease) will be more compassionate and pitiful than twenty others. This therefore makes us come with more confidence to Christ, because he hath been touched with our frailties, saith the same Apostle, Heb. 4.15, 16. As he that hath been poor, or troubled with Tooth-ach, will show the most pity to those that are so: Thus Christ is both apt and able to succor and save us, Heb. 2.18. and 5.7. and 7.25. Jude v. 24.

Concerning the Conception of Christ, which was the first step of his state of Humiliation, when the fullness of time came, that the Divine Nature of the Second Person (as it were) step'd out of Heaven to assume Human Nature and its frailties upon Earth according to the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son, &c. There be Three Grand Inquiries exceeding Cosiderable here, about the manner of Christ's Incarnation, and taking our Flesh upon him.

First, Of what Matter Christ was Conceived▪

Secondly, By what Power this Conception was completed? and

Thirdly, What strange Commotions there were about his Conception?

The Answer to the first is this, That the Matter Christ was Conceived of (1.) Negatively, First, He was not made of nothing, as the World was at the Creation: Secondly, Nor was he raised out of the dead earth, as Adam was; nor Thirdly, Did he bring his Flesh with him out of Heaven, as some fondly imagine: But (2.) Possitively, He was Conceived of the living flesh of the holy Virgin, Gal. 4.4. when fullness of time was come, God (who doth all things, ponder, mensurâ, & numero, as Plato saith, in weight, measure, and number: Therefore as he never comes too soon, so nor doth he ever stay too long, but times his mercies in the best season, Isa. 30.18.) then he sent forth his Son (even out of his own bosom, Joh. 1.18. loe how he loved us, Joh. 11.36.) to be made of a Woman, that is, of the sanctified substance of the holy Virgin. N. B. Note this, (against the Marcionites and others that do deny it) and made under the Law, &c. With this Apostle concurs the Angel of God, saying to the Virgin [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Hail thou highly favored, &c. Luke 1.28. loe thou shalt conceive in thy Womb the Holy Child Jesus, ver. 30, 31. The Son of the Highest, ver. 32. And though thou know not: a Man, yet the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee (as once he did the confused Chaos in the World's Creation, hovering over it, and hatching out the Creature as the Hen doth the Chickens) therefore that Holy thing which shall be born of thee, (that is, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Greek word implies, of thy Flesh and Substance ) shall be called the Son of God, ver. 34, 35. Some Heterodox Men hold, that Christ brought his Flesh from Heaven, and that he passed through the Virgin's Womb, as Water passeth through a Conduit-pipe: But the Orthodox believe from those two Scripture Testimonies, &c. That the matter whereof Christ was conceived, was the Flesh of the Virgin, because also, had he taken other Foreign Flesh, or brought it from Heaven, this would have made him an unmeet Redeemer; for by the order of Divine Justice, the same nature that sinned, must suffer for sin: As it was Man that had sinned, so it must be Man that must be punished; therefore took Christ the Flesh of a Woman, &c.

The Second Inquiry is, by what Power Christ was Conceived?

Answer (1.) Negatively, It was not done by the power of Nature, for all that are conceived by ordinary generation, are sinful; who can bring (saith Job ) a clean thing out of an unclean, Job 14.4. As if he had said, 'tis the common lot of all Mankind, proceeding from sinful Parents, to be unclean, and unavoidably infected with Original Corruption: And Jesus himself confirms that of Job, saying [that which is born of the flesh is flesh, ] Joh. 3.6. corruptus corruptum, fallen Adam begat a Son after his own fallen Image, Gen. 5.3. by this one Man sin entered upon all, Rom. 5.12. so that by nature all are Children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. whole man is in evil, and whole evil is in man: The first man defiled nature, and ever since nature hath defiled every Man: Hence David candidly confesseth [that he was conceived in Sin, and shapen in Iniquity,] Psal. 51.5. He looked upon his Original Sin to be the sad Source and corrupt Fountain from whence all his filthy streams flowed.

Answer (2.) Possitively, Therefore this sinless Babe of Bethlehem was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, so saith Luke afore quoted, Luke 1.35. And Matthew makes forth the same great truth saying [that (Holy thing) conceived in Mary, is of the Holy Ghost] Matth. 1.20. as the efficient, not as the material cause; the power of nature could never have brought forth such a pure Redeemer, no more than a Tree can by nature bring forth a Chair of State; though it should grow a thousand years, yet it could not grow of itself into the form of a Royal Throne, this fashion it must receive from a Skilfull Artist, though the substance of such a Seat be in it. So though Christ were in the loins of Adam. yet Nature could never be able to bring forth Christ; no, this could only be effected by the power of the Holy Ghost. The Virtus formatrix, or formative faculty (which the Virgin had not) is ascribed to this power, wherewith the Holy Ghost framed and fashioned Christ of the flesh or substance of the Virgin, sanctified miraculously, and without Man's help. Thus Christ is said to be conceived of the Holy Ghost three ways;

First, The Godhead did sanctify that part of the Virgins Flesh whereof Christ was made, severing and purifying it from sin and corruption, as the Cunning Artificer draws dross from the Gold, &c.

Secondly, The Holy Ghost did frame and fashion that part of the Virgin's Flesh (so purified, so sanctified) and made it a fit House or Temple for his Godhead to dwell in: Therefore is He called [that Holy thing] Luke 1.35. and that Holy of Holys, wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily, Col. 2.9. that is Personally.

Thirdly, He did Unite the Human Nature to the Divine, so made one person of both, so He is called the Son of God, very often in the holy Scripture.

N. B. The Mystery of this History is manifold, As First the Abstruse profound Speculations hereupon, which the Learned, both Antient and Modern, have collected hence.

(1.) Augustine saith though Christ be called (by the Angel) the Son of God, yet was He not the Son of the Holy Ghost, as He was the Son of the Holy Virgin, for He was not Conceived of Him; as he was of Her. He was Conceived of Her, as of a Mother, not of the Holy Ghost as of a Father, lest there should seem to be Two Fathers in the Holy Trinity: We must not say (saith He) that the Holy Ghost was born of the Dove (in whose shape He appeared, Mat. 3.16.) As Christ was of the Woman, because the Spirit came not down to Redeem the Doves (as Christ did to Redeem Mankind born of a Woman ) but to signify unto us by that significant form all Spiritual Innocency, Amicableness and Love to little Ones, found in those that have the Spirit.

(2.) Another Curious Notion of the Learned is, that Christ was called Shilo, Gen. 49.10. because that Hebrew Name signifies a Secondine, which is the Tunicle wherein the Child lies wrapped up secure in its Mothers Womb, Hence Christ was called Shilo, as He was the Son of Mary's Secondines, ut ostenderet Christum de Matre abs{que} patre Nasciturum, to show that the Blessed Virgin's Secondines alone, brought him forth without the help of Man: Hence is He said to be without Father, as Man, and without Mother, as God, Heb. 7.3.

The (3.) Is That this Precious Pearl (as Christ is called, Mat. 13.45, 46.) Ex Rore Spiritus Sancti in Conchâ Virginis erat conceptus: As Pearls are made up of Dew in a Shellfish; so Christ was Conceived of the Spirit's Dew, in the Virgin's Womb: Besides Daniel tells us, that this precious Little Stone, was not Digg'd out of the Bowels of the Earth, but was cut out of the Mountains of Heaven, a most curious piece and a Cut of the Art of Heaven, even the overshadowings of the Holy-Ghost, and All this without hands, Dan. 2.34, and 45. or any Human Helps.

The (4.) Is, That Christ is not called the Son of God in respect of his Human Nature, for then there would be in the Person of Christ two Sons, One of the Father, and Another of the Holy Ghost. Christ was Conceived of the Holy Ghost, non 〈◊〉 matically but Operatively, yet so Secretly and Mystically, as the Virgin herself 〈◊〉 not How. Luke 1.34.

The (5) is, That as no Mother know's the manner of her Natural Conception, so much les • can me • o Flesh and Blood conceive Aright of the wonderful Conception of Christ, Psal. 139.14, 15. & Eph. 4.9. 'tis high presumption for us to search into so deep a mystery. The Union of Three Persons into One Nature in the Trinity, and the Union of two Natures into one Person in Christ's Incarnation, are Deep Wells, and (as she said; John 4.11.) we want wherewith to draw, 'It is a Great Mystery, 1 Tim. 3.16.

But to let pass those Nicer Notions, yet Solid Speculations of the Learned (whereof many more might be mentioned by me, If they did not more Appertain to Academic Schools than to an Evangelical Pulpit) I come now to more Practical Points, and to Declare that Mystery of Godliness, which is couched and comprehended in the History of Christ's Conception.

As First, Lo here, How low did our Lord stoop in his first step of his State of Humiliation. N. B. Christ stoop'd thus low to begin at the far end of Sin, which begins at our Conception. The Seond Adam was not made a perfect man at the first, as the First Adam was. Christ Condescended so low, as was

(1.) The Distance betwixt His Father's Bosom, John 1.18. and the Foundation Stone, Isa. 28.16. which is always First laid, and laid always lowest, yea sometimes (in some Stately Structures) is laid by some Royal Hand: Sure I am, This sure Foundation-stone was laid by a Royal Hand, even by the Almighty Hand of the King of Kings [I have laid it▪ saith the Lord.] And He laid it Low (fundamenta latent) yea as low as Hell in his Agony and Susserings, &c. Oh how this Foundation-stone did sweat (as the common ones commonly do against a Storm) even [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Grumos sanguinis, Clods of Blood before the storm of his Passion, Luke 22.44. And this foundation-stone was first laid, both before The Foundation of the World in the Eternal Purpose of God, Eph. 1.4. & 3.11. 1 Pet. 1.20. Tit. 1.2. Rev. 13.8. and 17.8. And at the Foundation of the World too in the Evangelical Promise of God, Gen. 3.15. Christ is the first born of every new Creature, Col. 1.15. and before all things, ver. 17. moreover this Foundation-Stone, that it might the better bear up the weight of the whole Fabric, (according as the nature of the place and the matter do require) is both broader and stronger than the rest of the Building, both by the grace of Union, and by the grace of Unction: Christ was the Broader by the Hypostatical Union of his two Natures, and by the Extraordinary Unction wherewith he was Anointed above all his Fellows, Psal. 45.7. Receiving the Spirit without measure, Joh. 3.34. And he was the stronger by both those ways of Union and of Unction, as having a Divine Nature, as well as an Human, and the former to corroborate the latter. Thus Nature provides deepest Roots for tallest Cedars: quantùm vertice, tantùm radice, the higher the Tree or Structure, the deeper is the root or foundation: Austin saith, rebus ad ima tendentibus in i • o ponitur fundamentum, &c. An House's Foundation is laid low, because by its own weight it presseth downward, but there it is staid in its place hereby from sinking lower. So not can the Church sink lower than Christ, who is our Eliakim, on whom all Vessels of grace (great and small) hang firmly, Isa. 22.24.

(2.) Christ