Sermons Preached on Romans 8

Christ's superlative fitness for it appears from, and was grounded upon,

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 • 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 parallel'd Fitness was grounded upon his Personal consideration.

2. 'Twas grounded upon his glorious Attributes; his Power, Wisdom, Mercy, Goodness, Faithfulness, Holiness &c. He that will undertake to redeem Sinners must have all these, for they all were indispensably requisite to such an undertaking: the Lord Jesus had them all, and that too in an eminent and extraordinary measure (as I might easily show at large); never did any mere Creature arrive at that pitch of Wisdom, Power, Holiness &c. which he did: therefore none so fit to be sent as he.

3. 'Twas grounded upon his Sonship and near relation to God. Who so fit to make others the adopted sons of God, as he who was himself the Natural Son of God?

4. Upon the glory and dignity of his Person. He was the image of the invisible God Col. 1.15. the express image of his Fathers Person Heb. 1.3. Now who so fit to restore Man to God's image, as that Man who was the essential image of God?

5. Christ's admirable and transcendent fitness was grounded upon his threefold Office, as he was King, Priest, and Prophet. For hereupon he was (and is) fit to deal both with God and Man; he's a Friest to deal with God, a King and Prophet to deal with Man. Doth God stand upon Satisfaction? Christ is a Priest to die, and to offer up himself an expiatory Sacrifice: or will God keep his distance from the Creature and be known in his greatness? Christ is a Priest to mediate and intercede. Then is the Sinner under ignorance and darkness? Christ is a Prophet to enlighten and teach or is he under the tyranny of sin and a rebel against God? Christ is King to rescue, subdue and conquer him to himself, to bring and keep him under his own dominion and government. To sum up all! there are but two things to be done for the Sinner in order to his happiness (viz.) impetration and application; now both of these are done by Christ's threefold Office. By the first part of his Priestly Office (his Oblation ), there w • s the impetration, for by that he procured, purchased, merited all good; by the second part of his Priestly Office (his intercession, ), there's the application. And because both God and the Creature are to be dealt withal in order to this application, therefore Christ doth accordingly deal with both of them: with God he deals in the way of prayer or intercession (for God because of his Majesty and Sovereignty will be treated in this manner ); with the Creature, he deals in the way of power; partly by dispelling the darkness of the mind (which he doth as Prophet ), and partly by taking off the rebellion of the Will and bringing the stubborn Sinner under a ready subjection to God (which he doth as King ). Which things being done, all that Christ hath purchased is now made over and actually applied to the Creature. Upon the Whole then it follows, that Christ being invested with these Offices (which are every way so full, of so great virtue, so suited to the Nature and demands of God, and the condition of the Sinner ), he must needs be by many degrees the fittest-Person to be sent by God.

Before I go off from this Head I desire One thing may be taken notice of; It must be granted, that the sending of Christ was previous and antecedent to several of the Things which have been mentioned, (as the demonstrations of his superlative fitness to be sent, and the grounds of his being sent ): Yet nevertheless they may be alleged and made use of in that notion, because though in our apprehension (if not also in the Nature of the Thing ) they were after the sending, yet in the eye and estimation of God they were before it. For instance, Christ just at his sending had not then assumed the Human Nature, (we suppose that to antecede his incarnation ); yet God judged him a person fit to be sent because of that Nature. And so he might very well; for though the incarnation as considered in itself was future, yet as to the knowledge, consideration, estimation of God, it was present and done already. (I thought it necessary to put in this, for the preventing of an Objection which might arise in the thoughts of Some upon the reading of what hath been laid down).

4. Fourthly, God therefore sent Christ, not only because he was the fittest Person to be sent, but because indeed he was the only Person that could be sent; for none but he could effect or accomplish Man's Redemption. If God will be so gracious as to send, 'twas not only convenient but necessary that he should send this very person his own Son; for there was none Other in heaven or earth that could go through an undertaking of this nature. There were Evils to be endured, which were above the strength of any mere Creature to endure; there were Evils to be removed (the Wrath of God, the Guilt of Sin, the Curse of the Law ), which no mere Creature was able to remove; there were also Blessings to be procured (as Reconciliation with God, Justification, Adoption, eternal Salvation ), which no such Creature possibly could procure: O no! therefore Christ himself must come or nothing can be done. Why did not God send an Angel rather than his Son? why? because he knew Redemption-work was no work for an Angel; no, not for the whole body of Angels. If the whole Order of them had come from heaven and combined all their strength together, they could not have redeemed so much as One Soul. I dispute not how far God by his mighty power might have enabled an Angel to have bore up under the greatest sufferings: Suppose he might have had such a strength as to have been able to undergo all that Christ did, yet under the highest communications of the grace of God to him, he (being still a mere Creature ) could never satisfy for what was past, not merit for what was to come; he could neither expiate sin nor procure eternal Life. No, these are things which could only be accomplished by Him who was more than a mere finite or created being, even by the Lord Jesus who was Man but God too; wherefore he's the Person whom the Father will send. And he very well understood himself in what he did; if the work had been possible to have been effected by any Creature, God would have employd that Creature and spared his own Son; nothing but absolute necessity made him to fix upon this course.

So much for the Reasons why God sent his Son; which we poor dim-sighted creatures do but (in a manner) guess at, but he himself understands them fully. As all his works are known to him, so also the special reasons of all his works are known to him; and eminently those which he went upon in this his highest and greatest work. When we come to heaven we shall more fully know why Christ was sent; but here our knowledge is very dark and imperfect about it.

I have done with the three Things which I propounded to open, and so have dispatched the Doctrinal part; I am now to make some practical improvement of it.

Was Christ sent? and did God thus send him? what doth this great act of God call for from us? I will tell you in a few things:

1. It calls upon us greatly to admire God. O how should all our souls be drawn forth and elevated in the adoring of God, for his sending of Christ! What rich Mines of Grace have we in these few words, God sent his own Son! Here's the greatest thing that ever God did, or ever will do: 'twas much that he should make a World, but what's the making of a World to the sending of a Son? The Apostle (in the Text ) seems to ascend step by step, and to crowd together variety of great and glorious things, that he might the more heighten God's Love and draw up the hearts of Believers to the admiration of it. For

• 1. here is Sending:
• 2. God sending:
• 3. God sending a Son:
• 4. His own Son:
• 5. The sending of this Son in our flesh: Yea
• 6. in the likeness of sinful flesh: Yea
• 7. in that Flesh to offer up himself as a Sacrifice for sin:
• 8. Doing this for this End that sin might be condemned, and that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us:
• 9. Doing this too when the Sinners Case was desperate as to the Law; is not here maguum in parvo? and doth not the Apostle thrust

2. More particularly, this calls upon you to admire the Love of God the Father, and always to entertain good thoughts of him; (they are distinct Heads, however let me put them together). I would not too curiously divide or distinguish betwixt the Sacred Persons in their several Acts; much less would I set them in competition or prefer one before another, (as if we were more beholden to the One than to the Other ): As they center in the same common Essence, 'tis the same Love and the same gracious actings in all; but yet they being personally distinct, and they having those acts which are proper to them as so distinguished, so they have their special and peculiar Love. And 'tis very good for us to understand what is immediately done by the Father, what by the Son, what by the Spirit; which we must the rather endeavor after, because the Scripture usually (I do not say always ) apply's this effect to the First, that to the Second, and another to the Third Person. I am at present only to speak to the acts of the Father, wherein he hath displayed that Love which is proper to him; which if you please to look into (as the Scripture sets them forth), you will find yourselves under a strong obligation to admire him (as personally so considered). For 'pray observe, who did from all eternity predestinate, elect, choose you? was it not God the Father? Predestinating Love is the Father's Love: Eph. 1.3, 4, 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world &c. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. After this came Redeeming Love, and had the Father no hand in that Love? nay, had not He the first and the chief hand therein? For did not he find out the ransom? Job 33.24. I have found a ransom: did not he contrive and lay the whole model and platform of Redemption in his eternal purpose and ordination? (therefore 'tis said Isa. 53.10. The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; that great Work resolves itself into the Will and pleasure of the Father, as the first and principal Cause of it; Christ (as Mediator ) is brought in but as subordinate to him, as being but the ministerial and executive agent in redemption, for 'tis but in his hands that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper ). Who chose, sent, called Christ to that Work and fitted him for it, but the Father (as you have heard)? So also who assisted and strengthened him in it, but the Father? Isa. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I uphold; of which upholding and strengthening Grace by the Father Christ assured himself beforehand (as you read Isa. 50. 7, 9.) and it was accordingly made good to him (as you read Matth. 4.11. Luke 22.43.) Then again, who rewarded Christ when he had finished his Work, but the Father? therefore to him Christ prayed for this, Joh. 17.4, 5. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. And now Christ hath made the purchase, who doth authoritatively collate upon persons the blessings purchased, but the Father? Rom. 8.33. It is God that justifieth: 2 Cor. 5.18. All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ &c. Luke 12.32. Fear not little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. Who is it that works in Sinners their meetness for heaven, but the Father? Col. 1.12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Who is it that reveals the great mysteries of the Gospel, but the Father? Matth. 11.25. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Who bestows and gives the Spirit, but the Father? Joh. 14.16. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of Truth. And (to shut up this) who secures and keeps in a state of grace, but the Father? Joh. 10.29. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's band. Now (Christians) may you not be fully convinced by all this, that the Father's Love to you is very great? and if so, will you not admire him for it? You must honor the Son even as you honor the Father, and you must adore, bless, love the Father even as you do the Son. God forbid that I should go about to lessen your most thankful sense of what the Son and Spirit have done for you! but yet know, that these the Father (as the first Cause ) doth work by, 'tis He who by them doth do so great things for you: 'pray, think high of their love, but then think high of his love too.

Further, I would persuade you to entertain good thoughts of the Father. 'It is a temptation (though not so usual) which some gracious Persons lie under, they can with more comfort think of the Son than of the Father, they do not so much question the Love of the Son as of the Father: they cannot deny but that the Son is indeed a very gracious Person, for he came from heaven to seek and to save what was lost, to save Sinners, yea the chiefest of them &c. hereupon they can (in some comfortable manner) encourage themselves to hope in him. But as to the Father they are not so confident, they are more jealous and suspicious and have a greater dread of him, than they have either of the Son or of the Spirit. Doth Satan assault any of you in this manner? or do such thoughts as these prevail over you? O be convinced of your mistake! You have as great encouragement for faith and hope from the Father, as you have from the Son; for you hear 'twas He who sent Christ, and whatever Christ was or did, all was but in pursuance of his good pleasure; therefore have you any reason to think otherwise than well of him? Surely. God is Love: this very thing (his sending of his Son) represents him as full of Mercy, Goodness, and Grace; the Sinner hath not the least cause to be jealous or afraid of him. O when unbelief and hard thoughts of God the Father begin to rise, beat them down by arguing thus, was not He the first spring from which redeeming Grace did flow? the great contriver and willer of man's recovery? who set Christ on work but he? who sent him into the world to be a Savior but he? who employ'd his own Son for the good of Sinners but he? O that you would labor to get your Faith encouraged and strengthened as to the first Person! and that it might rise up to the first Cause of all, and there fix and terminate, that your faith and hope may be in God (as the Apostle expresses it 1 Pet. 1.21.) Christ says Joh. 14.1. Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe in me also: and let me say, he believe in Christ, believe in God also, (as the fountain and original of all your happiness).

3. It calls upon us to love Christ greatly: O how should the consideration of this endear Christ to every gracious heart! God sent him, but not against his will; how willing was he to be sent upon the errand of your Salvation! he freely consented to whatever the Father was pleased to put him upon for your good. He very well knew before hand what would follow upon this sending, what he was to undergo, how he was to be abased (if he do engage to redeem and save you); yet notwithstanding this, no sooner did the Father call him to it, but he most readily and cheerfully obeyed, O the infinite Love of Christ! He came down from heaven that he might carry you up to heaven; he that was a Son for your sake stooped to be a Servant, that you of slaves might be made sons: What had become of you if Christ had refused to come when the Father sent him? O love the Lord Jesus! let his Person be very dear and precious to you, admit him into your hearts who was willing to take the whole business of your Salvation into his hands: what Love can be enough for a Father sending, and a Son coming! 'It is true God sent him, but his obedience to his Father was no diminution of his Love to you; and 'tis true, in this Embassy he acted in a way of inferiority to his Father, but 'twas his pity to you which made him willing to put himself into such a state of subjection and inferiority: for that did not proceed from his Nature (before he had assumed yours ), but merely from his dignation and gracious condescension; and now after all this will you not love him? how can you do otherwise than love him? Suppose you had heard him (as soon as ever God had signified his pleasure to him, and said, Son! the fullness of time is come, I must send thee down to earth to redeem man ), saying, Father I am ready, here I am, send me whithersoever and about whatsoever thou pleasest; to promote thy Glory and the good of Souls I am willing to go where-ever thou wilt have me; yea, Ple stick at nothing which thou shalt judge necessary for the preventing of the Sinners everlasting ruin: Send me to be made Flesh, I submit; to lie in a Manger, I submit; to die upon a Cross, I submit; lay what Commands upon me thou pleasest, to further the Salvation of Souls, they shall all be obeyed: Suppose (I say) you had heard Christ uttering such Words to his Father, doubtless it would have wrought very much upon you, your Hearts would have been all in flames of Love to him. O wretched Creatures! we know all this was spoken and done too by our Lord Jesus, and yet how cold, how weak is our Love to him!

4. It calls upon you to imitate Christ in his carriage with respect o his being sent. Thus, never go till you be sent, then go readily: both of these were admirably done by our Lord Jesus. He went not till he was sent, before he would move one step he would have his Father's Mission and Commission; a great Mind he had to be at Redeeming Work, his Heart was exceedingly set upon it, yet he would stay till he was sent, called, authorized thereunto by his Father. But as soon as he was so called, how readily and cheerfully did he engage! Lo T come to do thy Will, O God. Now in this his deportment he hath set us an excellent copy to write after; teaching us, always humbly to wait for a Call from God, and when it comes (let it be what it will) faithfully to comply with it. Whatever rank or station God hath set you in, see that you therein abide; and that you meddle with no Work, Employment, Office, Undertaking, further than as you are called thereunto. This is a Duty in special incumbent upon Public Officers, Magistrates and Ministers; as also, upon Christians in a private capacity with respect to public Offices: none must presume to invade an Office or to intrude themselves into it where they are not sent by God; O that's an act of high presumption, and usually attended with sad and fatal Consequences (as several Instances show). Concerning the Office and Work of the Ministry the Apostle is very smart, How shall they preach except they be sent? the Interrogation carries a vehement negation it it, (viz.) without a Call and Mission from God none ought, none can (that is, lawfully, warrantably, you may put in too successfully ) preach the Gospel. But now though in things of this Nature a Divine Call be eminently requisite, yet 'tis not to be limited to them; whoever you be, whatever work or service you engage in, you must look to your Call and Commission from God. For you can no further expect assistance, acceptance, success in anything you do then as you are thereunto called: when 'tis so, you may rely upon it God will assist, accept, succeed, prosper; but when 'tis otherwise, nothing can be hoped for. Our Lord being sent 'twas prophesied that the work should prosper in his hands; and we find that from the consideration of his sending all along he fetched encouragement, that his Father would be with him and would not leave him alone, (as you see Joh. 8.29. & passim ). Hence therefore I would give you this advice, in every undertaking (especially when 'tis very weighty and momentous ) make sure of a Call and Commission from above; to run upon anything without this, you will find to be not only uncomfortable but very dangerous. And in order to the finding out of this Call pro hic & nunc, there must first be the serious studying of the Word, and then the prudent weighing and considering of Providences (so far as they comply with the Word); for Providences. (so bounded) may sometimes in such and such particular Cases give much light concerning the Will and Call of God: (but I must not engage in this Point ).

But then I add (which is the Second Branch of this Exhortation), When once you are clear in your Call, stick at nothing; if God bids you go, be sure you go (let the errand be what it will). Suppose the Work be difficult, dangerous, contrary to the interest of the Flesh, &c. 'tis no matter for that, if God commands you must obey, if God sends you must run: no dangers, difficulties, discouragements, sufferings, fleshly concerns are then to be regarded. Paul 's example herein was excellent and most worthy of our imitation; Gal. 1.15, 16. When it pleased God, who separated me from my mothers womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Heathen; immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood: No question but Flesh and Blood were very apt to suggest many things, to make this blessed Man to balk the Call and Work of God; I but (says he) I would not confer with them, so as to hearken to their suggestions, so as to fetch my guidance and direction from them; no, these he laid aside that he might wholly steer his course by God's Will: O let the Service be what it will, be it the preaching of the Gospel amongst Heathens, there must be no consulting with Carnal Reason or Carnal Interest against a Divine Call and Command. But I am upon a far higher Example, the example of Christ himself: never was any sent upon such Work as His was, that was hard work indeed, abasing work indeed, painful work indeed, never was any to be compared with it; and yet upon his Father's Call with what readiness did he set upon it! And this is that very thing wherein the Apostle would have us to conform to Christ, Phil, 2.5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus; what mind doth he mean? why this, upon all occasions in ready compliance with the Will and Call of God, to be willing to be emptied and abased, to be, to do, to suffer anything. 'It is a great Evil for any (upon carnal and selfish Grounds ) to shift-off and withstand a Call from God; therefore the Lord took it very ill from Moses, that he was so backward to go upon his sending and would so fain have put it off: Exod. 4.13. Send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send: but it follows ( verse. 14.) The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses. Jonah 's disobedience in this cost him dear; God sent him to Niviveh but thither he would not go, wherefore God sent him to the bottom of the Sea and thither he shall go; O let all dread the like disobedience! Pray be always willing to observe and obey God's Call, balk not any service which he puts you upon: stir not a step till he sends, be sure you run when he sends; 'tis the wisdom of a Christian not to stir a foot till he be sent, 'tis the zeal of a Christian to run when he is sent. 'It is a blessed thing when we can so carry it, as neither to be over forward in running before we are sent (for which, though possibly in a Sense somewhat different from that which I am upon, God so much complained of the false Prophets, Jerem. 14.14. Chap. 23.21.) nor over backward in demurring and hanging off after we are sent. When God asked the Prophet, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? see how presently he answered, Here am I, send me: O that there was such a readiness in all of us to comply with God's Call! believe it, no errand is (or can be) bad which he sends about.

5. A word of Cautionary advice will here be very necessary, 'tis this, Take heed that you do not rest or take up with the external sending of Christ. When the everlasting concerns of your Souls are upon your thoughts, and you are casting with yourselves what may be necessary to bring you to Heaven, take heed of looking no farther than merely a Christ sent. True, this is the great thing which Faith builds upon, the proper and sole foundation of all its reliance and confidence; for that which it doth ultimately eye in the hope of pardon, justification, eternal life, is merely a Christ sent by God; but yet as to the qualification and actual intitling of the Person to the things believed and hoped for, so there must be something more than the bare external sending of Christ. Everyone knows there is a twofold sending of him, the one External and Visible, the other Internal and Invisible: the First was Christ's sending to be Man, (that's past and over, and was to be but once ); the Second is Christ's sending into Man, (that yet continues and is reiterated from time to time). Now these two though they are of a different nature must not be parted; he that would regularly hope for Salvation by Christ must have the latter as well as the former sending; for 'tis most certain that a Christ without if it be not also a Christ within, will never save. A Christ in our Flesh must be accompanied with a Christ in our Hearts, there must be not only a Christ sent to us but also a Christ sent into us, or else he will not profit us. The whole business of Merit lies upon the Christ without (as he took our Nature and therein fulfilled the Law ); but the fitting or qualifying of persons to have a share in the blessings merited, that lies in the Christ within as he is received into the heart: In a word, the impetration is by Christ without, but the application is by Christ within. Now therefore (I say) you must nor rest in the One unless you find the Other too: there are very dangerous mistakes abroad in the world about this. Some are all for a Christ within making nothing of a Christ without, (a most pernicious Opinion and destructive of all Christianity ): Others again are all for a Christ without, contenting themselves with this that he was sent into the world to save Sinners, and this to them is enough for future happiness, they look no farther. But now whoever would be wise to Salvation must take in both; so as to adore, believe in, rest upon a Christ as externally sent, and yet so as to make sure of a Christ in himself (through the gracious operations of the Spirit ). Paul here in this Verse speaks of the External Sending, in the 10 Verse he speaks of the Internal Sending [ And if Christ be in you &c]; all that live under the Gospel know the former, but few know the latter. O how is it with you? Christ was sent to you but is he in you? he was formed in the Virgins womh but is he formed in your hearts (as the expression is Gal. 4.19.)? he came from heaven in a corporeal manner for you, but did he ever in a spiritual manner come into you? you have the external mission but have you also the mystical Union? hath the Father who sent his own Son in your Flesh, sent also his own Spirit into your hearts? (which is the great Promise of the New Testament as the former was the great Promise of the Old; see Joh. 14.26. Joh. 15.26. Joh. 16.7.). 'Pray search diligently into these things, for be assured that a Christ as only sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, if He and his Spirit be not also received within, I say a Christ (so stated) will never make you happy.

6. Did God thus send Christ? it calls aloud to you all to believe in him. Hath the Father chosen him, set him apart, every way fitted him to be a Redeemer, sent him into the world for that end? and after all this, will you not receive, embrace, fly to, and venture yourselves, your All upon him? O what an Argument is this to draw Sinners to an hearty closure with Christ! what will engage Souls to believe on him if this will not! Christ (as sent) is the Object, the Ground, and also the great Encouragement of Faith: Sinners! you may very safely believe on him, for he's no Impostor or Deceiver but that very person whom God sent to be the Savior of the world. And 'tis not only so (that you may safely believe on him), but 'tis your great duty to believe on him; for he (who sent him) lays this as his grand Command upon you so to do: 1 Joh. 3.23. And this is [his Commandment] that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. Joh. 6.29. This is the work of God (that great Work which he enjoins) that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 'It is observable how high Christ speaks of the knowledge of himself under this notion (as he was sent of God ); Joh. 17.3. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ [whom thou hast sent]: As also how desirous he was that the World might know and believe that he was thus sent of God; Joh. 17.21, 23. That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they all may be one in us, [that the world may believe that thou hast sent me]: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and [that the world may know that thou hast sent me]. Now what was it that Christ propounded to himself in all this? certainly he had more in his eye than the bare notional knowledge of, or naked assent to this great Truth, that he was the Person sent of God. Yes, his desire reached to a practical and fiducial knowledge of it, to such a knowledge as might be attended with true and saving Faith. So that 'tis not enough for you to know and believe (in a common and general way) that Christ was indeed sent of God, (which will only make you differ from Jews and Heathens ); but you must so know and so believe it as to receive, accept, close with, rest upon him in a saving manner, (which will make you differ from all outside and formal Christians).

Further let it be considered, what was God's great design in the sending of Christ? 'twas this, that Sinners believing in him might live: So the Gospel tells you over and over; God so loved the world, that he gave (or sent) his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved: is not here a strong engagement as well as an high encouragement to believe? And it being God's act to send his Son, he looks upon Himself as highly concerned according as men carry it towards him; therefore saith Christ He that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me: He that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. And especially this holds true in the matter of believing or not believing: O do you close with Christ and receive him upon the Gospel-offer? not only He himself, but his Father also is highly pleased herewith and takes it very kindly at your hands: I (says God) here are Souls that do not throw away or tread upon that costly remedy which I provided for them, who give me the glory of my Wisdom and Mercy, who would not have my great designs (in the sending of my Son ) to be frustrated, who duly entertain the Messenger whom I sent to transact the great affairs of my Glory and their Good, who answer my expectations in my highest Love &c. I say, this pleases God exceedingly. But (on the other hand) do you reject Christ, make little of him, stand it out against him, refuse to believe? how heinously doth God resent such carriage! this he looks upon as an high despising and undervaluing of his Mercy, a desperate striking at his Glory (which is very dear to him), a very unworthy requital of his Love, a dangerous attempt to make all his Grace to be to no purpose; and must not all this highly provoke him? Suppose some Great Person, hearing of the sad condition of some poor Captives, should out of mere compassion to them send from a far Country his own and only Son to redeem them; and this Son should in Person come to them, and treat with them about their redemption, he offering to pay down their ransom, to free them from all their misery; provided, they will but trust on him and be subject to him: If now these Captives should slight all this and choose still to continue in their chains, rather than upon these terms to accept of deliverance; would not this folly and obstinacy greatly incense both Father and Son? Or suppose again, some offended Prince (against whom the Treason had been committed) should send his Son to the Traitor with a Pardon in his hand; and he should take no notice of this Son or Pardon (brought by him), but reject and slight both; what could be expected to follow upon this but the greatest indignation? Now is not this the very case of Unbelievers? nay, is not theirs much worse in respect of the Person sending, the Person sent, the Benefits offered, the Conditions required? and therefore must not they incur an higher displeasure and make themselves obnoxious to a worser severity? Sinners! shall not these things be thought of? will nothing prevail upon you to believe? Was Christ sent and did he come to you and will not you come to him? will you not yet understand that it is He only who must save you? (to allude to that Act. 7.25. He supposed his brethren would have understood, how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not ); do you look for another Son or another Savior to be sent? indeed hath God such another Son to send? or was not the once sending of this Son enough? hath not God in Christ given you his last Way and Method for Salvation, so that there is no Other to be expected after that? And was he only sent? did he not do all for which he was sent, and so returned back again to his Father? is there anything further to be done but only that you will repent and believe? Methinks these Considerations should work upon you, & yet I am sure they will not, unless the Lord persuade your hearts to believe and he himself be pleased to work Faith in you. We may speak much to convince you of your Duty, but when we have said all 'tis God who must both incline and enable you to believe, who must over-pour against unwillingness and strengthen against weakness. Faith is his Gift (Eph. 2.8.), he who gives the Christ to be believed on, must give the Grace to believe with; he who sent Christ to you must draw you to Christ; No man can (or will) come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. So much for the Duties proper to be urged upon God's sending of Christ, (in which you have the First Use ).

Secondly, It affords abundant matter of Comfort to all sincere Christians. The Truth which I have been upon (Christ sent by God), may be useful not only as a powerful incentive to Duty but also as a firm foundation of inward Comfort. O believers! set your Faith, Hope, Joy as high as ever you can, this Sending of Christ will bear you out in it: you cannot (God having done this) overbelieve or over-rejoice. I will show you what there is wrapped up in a Christ sent; and for the better raising of your Comfort. I will instance in Particulars, (for 'tis with Gospel-Truths as 'tis with your perfumed things, which so long as they are wrapped up do but weakly affect the Sense; but when they are taken out, opened and parted, then they do more strongly send forth their fragrant odors).

1. Did God send Christ? surely then great was his good Will towards you. For had it not been so, would he ever have done such a great thing for you as this? therefore that heavenly Choir of Angels singing in consort upon the Birth of Christ made this a part of their Spiritual Song, Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, [good will] towards men; (I follow our reading of the latter Clause, though I know it might be (and is) otherwise rendered): why did they say good will towards men? O because now in the Sending and Incarnation of Christ God had given out the highest demonstration that was possible of his good Will towards them. Had there been anything but that in his Heart, and had there not been an abundance of that in his Heart, he would never have sent and so sent his own Son.

2. Did God send Christ? surely then he is in good earnest, real, hearty in the matters of Salvation. After such a thing as this Saints have not the least reason to be jealous of God, or to question the reality of his Call, offers, invitations, intentions, promises, declarations concerning their happiness. What higher assurance could God give of his heartiness and reality in these, than this? if he once send his Son there's no room left for suspicion or doubting. This assures us that God is real in his Promises and will be faithful to his Promises, for by it they are all at once ratified and confirmed. If God make good the grand Promise of Sending his Son, what other promise will he not make good? a Christ sent is the Seal of all the Promises; (See Isa. 7.14.)

3. Did God send Christ? then you need not fear but that the work of Redemption is completed. When such a Person sends, and such a Person is sent, the Thing shall be done effectually and thoroughly; be it never so high, so hard, if Christ undertake it he'l accomplish it. Had a Creature indeed been sent, there might have been some ground of fear that he would not have been able to have gone throught such a work; but when Christ is pitched upon, all ground of fear is removed; to be sure he can and will finish what he engages in. And 'tis evident that he perfected what he came about, from the Father's re-admitting him into Heaven; had there been anything left undone by him would the Father have given him such a reception as he did? Believers! do not fear, all is finished, Christ gave not over till he brought it to that. You do your work by halfs, very weakly and imperfectly, but Christ did his completely; yea, though the Law itself (through your flesh ) was weak, yet Christ (in your flesh) was strong; he did that thoroughly 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 being dead dies no more, there's now no further need of any suffering and dying; but) to appear like Himself in Glory and then to take you up into Glory. Once already he came down from Heaven to Earth, from thence he'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 rejoice 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 strengthening 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 destroyed and the Wise God took a fit course, employ'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 straitened 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 Honeycomb, you cannot touch it but Honey and sweetness drops from it: And I the rather here take notice of it, because I find our Savior 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 everyone 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 befall 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 Use offers itself, which might be as useful in order to Information as the two Former were in order to Exhortation and Consolation. Something hath been spoke for the opening of the Nature and Grounds of Christ's being sent, but as to the determination or close application of that to his Person (wherein we have to do with Jews and Infidels ), little hath been spoken (I mean in that way and method which is proper to those Opposers of Christ and Christianity ). Here therefore I should lay down and make good these two Propositions:

• 1. That that Jesus in whom we Christians believe, even He who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, and rose again, &c. I say, this Jesus was the very Person whom God sent; and consequently that he was the Shiloh or Messias prophesied of.
• 2. That this Jesus was so sent by God (to be the true and only Messiah ), as that besides and after him no other Person is to be expected in that nature or quality to be sent by God.

Now though these be two as weighty and as Fundamental Truths to us Christians (as Christians) as any whatsoever; and though I could not hope to reach the great Enemies of the Gospel so as to fasten any conviction upon them, yet probably I might (in the pursuing of this Argument ) reach some weak Christians, so as to confirm & stablish them in the belief of these great Truths; yet I shall not at present engage in the discussing of these two Propositions. First because in so great Points 'tis better to say nothing then not to speak fully and thoroughly to them; which if I could (other Discouragements being removed) hope to do, yet here in this place, without making the Work in hand too vast and big, to be sure I could not. Secondly because (however pertinent this Undertaking might be to some other Texts ) to that which I am upon it would not be so pertinent: where the Apostles drift and design is not so much (in opposition to Jews and Infidels ) to assert that Christ was the very Person sent of God, as to assign (for the Comfort of Believers ) the Way and Course which God took to bring about their Salvation, when upon the terms of the Law it was impossible, (namely he sent his own Son &c). The Text therefore not tying me to it, I may wave it; I shall have work enough to go over what the proper and immediate Sense of the Contents of this Chapter will lead me to, and therefore I may well cut off what is of a more remote and foreign Consideration. So that this shall suffice for the First Observation, Christ was sent, and sent by God the Father.