A Body of Practical Divinity

WHat was the Sin whereby our first Parents fell from the Estate wherein they were created?

Resp. The Sin was their eating of the forbidden Fruit, Gen. 3.6. — She took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also to her husband.

Here is implied, 1. That our first Parents fell from their State of Innocency. 2. The Sin by which they fell, Eating the forbidden Fruit.

1. Our first Parents fell from their glorious State of Innocency, Eccles. 7.29. God made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions. Adam was perfectly Holy, he had Rectitude of Mind, and Liberty of Will to good, but his head aked till he had invented his own and our Death, he sought out many Inventions, 1. Adam 's Fall was voluntary; he had à Posse non Peccare, a Power not to Fall. Free-will was a sufficient Shield to repel Temptation: the Devil could not have forced him, unless he had given his Consent; Satan was only a Suitor to woe, not a King to compel, but Adam gave away his own Power, and suffered himself to be decoy'd into Sin. Like a young Gallant who at one throw looseth a fair Lordship. Adam had a fair Lordship, he was Lord of the World, Gen. 1.28. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth. But he lost all at one throw. As soon as he had sinned he forfeited Paradise. 2. Adam 's Fall was sudden; he did not long continue in his Royal Majesty.

Quest. How long did Adam continue in Paradise before he fell?

Resp. Tostatus saith he fell the next day. Pererius saith he fell the eighth day after his Creation. But the most probable and received Opinion is, That Adam fell the very same day in which he was created. So Irenaeus, Cyril, Epiphanius, and many others. The Reasons which incline me to believe so are,

1. It is said, Satan was a murderer, ab initio, from the beginning, Joh. 8.44. Now whom did he murder? Not the blessed Angel, he could not reach them; nor the cursed Angels, for they had before destroyed themselves. How then was Satan a Murderer from the beginning? As soon as Satan fell, he began to tempt Mankind to Sin, this was a Murdering Temptation. By which it appears Adam did not stay long in Paradise: soon after his Creation the Devil set upon him, and murdered him by his Temptation.

2 Argument to prove that Adam fell the same day he was created: Adam had not yet eaten of the Tree of Life, Ver. 22, 23. And now least he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat; the Lord sent him forth of the garden. This Tree of Life being one of the choicest Fruits in the Garden, and being placed in the midst of Paradise, it is very like Adam would have eaten of this Tree of Life one of the first, had not the Serpent beguiled him with the Tree of Knowledge. So that hence I conclude▪ Adam fell the very day of his Creation, because he had not yet tasted the Tree of Life, that Tree that was most in his Eye, and had such delicious Fruit growing upon it.

3 Argument from Psal. 49.12. Man being in honor, abideth not. The Rabbins read it thus, Adam being in Honor, lodged not one night. The Hebrew word for abide, bal-jalin, signifies to stay or lodge all night. Adam then it seems did not take up one night's lodging in Paradise.

1 Inference, From Adam 's sudden Fall, he fell the same day in which he was created, Learn, 1. The Weakness of Human Nature; Adam in a State of Integrity quickly made a Defection from God, He soon lost the Robe of Innocence, and the Glory of Paradise. And was our Nature thus weak when it was at the best? what is it now when it is at the worst? If Adam did not stand when he was perfectly righteous, how unable are we to stand when Sin hath cut the Lock of our Original Righteousness? If purified Nature did not stand, how then shall corrupt Nature? If Adam in a few hours sin'd himself out of Paradise, O how quickly should we sin ourselves into Hell, if we were not kept by a greater Power then our own? but God puts underneath his Everlasting Arms, Deut. 32.27.

2. From Adam 's sudden Fall, he fell the same day, Learn how sad it is for a Man to be left to himself, 1. Adam being left to himself fell: O then what will become of us, how soon fall, if God leave us to ourselves? A Man left to himself will choose his own Death: he will be a Prey to every Temptation. A Man without God's Grace, left to himself, is like a Ship in a Storm without Pilot or Anchor, and is ready to dash upon every Rock. Make this Prayer to God, Lord do not leave me to myself: If Adam fell so soon who had strength, how soon shall I fall who have no strength? O urge God with his Hand and Seal, 2 Cor. 12.9. My strength shall be made perfect in weakness.

2. The Sin by which our first Parents fell was, Eating the forbidden Fruit ; Where consider two things: 1. The Occasion of it. 2. The Sin itself.

I. The Occasion of it: The Serpent's Temptation; the Devil did creep into the Serpent, and speak in the Serpent, as the Angel in Balaam 's Ass; where consider, 1. The Subtilty of Satan's Temptation; his Wiles are worse then his Darts. Satan's Subtilty in Tempting, 1. He dealt all along as an Impostor, he ushered in his Tentation by a Lye: He heaps up many Lyes, 1. That though our first Parents did eat of that Tree, they should not die, Gen. 3.4. Ye shall not surely die. 2. Lye, that God did envy our first Parents their Happiness, Verse 5. God knows that in the day ye eat, your eyes shall be opened; q. d. 'It is God's envying your Felicity that he forbids you this Tree. 3. Lye, that they should be thereby made like unto God, Verse 5. Ye shall be as gods. Here was his Subtilty in Tempting; the Devil was first a Lyar then a Murderer.

2. In that he set upon our first Parents so quickly, before they were confirmed in their Obedience. The Angels in Heaven are fully confirmed in Holiness; they are called Stars of the Morning, Job 38.7. and they are fixed Stars. But our first Parents were not confirmed in their Obedience, they were not fixed in their Orb of Holiness; Though they had a possibility of standing, they had not an impossibility of falling ; they were Holy but Mutable ; here was Satan's Subtilty in tempting our first Parents before they were confirmed in their Obedience.

3. His Subtilty in tempting was, that he sets upon Eve first, 1. Because he thought she was less able to resist. Satan did break over the Hedge where it was weakest: he knew he could more easily insinuate and wind himself into her by a Temptation. An expert Soulder when he is to Storm or enter a Castle, observes warily where there is a Breach, or how he may enter with more Facility: so did Satan the weaker Vessel. 2. He tempted Eve first, because he knew if once he could prevail with her, she would easily draw her Husband. Thus the Devil handed over a Temptation to Job by his Wife, Job 2.9. Curse God and die. Agrippina poisoned the Emperor Commodus with Wine in a perfumed Cup; the Cup being perfumed and given him by his Wife, it was the less suspected. Satan knew a Temptation coming to Adam from his Wife, would be more prevailing, and would be less suspected: O bitter! sometimes Relations prove Temptations: A Wife may be a Snare, when she dissuades her Husband from doing his Duty, or enticeth him to Evil: Ahab sold himself to work wickedness, whom his wife Jezebel stired up, 1 Kin. 21.25. She blew the Coals and made his Sin flame out the more. Satan's Subtilty was in tempting Adam by his Wife, he thought she would draw him to sin.

4. Satan's Subtilty in tempting was in his assaulting Eve 's Faith; he would persuade her that God had not spoken truth, Ye shall not surely die, Gen. 3.4. This was Satan's Master-piece, to weaken her Faith, when he had shaken that, and wrought her once to Distrust, then victa fuit, she presently put forth her hand to Evil.

2. Satan's Cruelty in Tempting: As soon as Adam was invested in all his Glory, the Devil cruelly, as it were on the Day of Adam 's Coronation, would Dethrone him, and bring both him and all his Posterity under a Curse: We see how little love Satan hath to Mankind; he hath an implacable Antipathy against us, and Antipathies can never be reconciled. So much for the Occasion of Adam 's Sin, tempted by the Serpent.

II. The Sin itself, Eating the forbidden Fruit: This was very heinous, and that appears three ways: 1. In respect of the Person that committed it. 2. The Aggravation of the Sin. 3. The Dreadfulness of the Effect.

1. Very Heinous in respect of the Person that committed it: Adam had Excellent and Noble Endowments; he was illuminated with Knowledge, embellished with Holiness, he knew his Duty, and it was as easy to him to obey God's Command as to know it; he might have chosen whether he would sin or no, yet he willfully did eat of the Tree which was forbidden.

2. The Aggravation of Adam 's Sin.

Quest. Wherein did it appear to be so great? 'Twas but raptus Pomi; Was this such a great matter to pluck an Apple?

Resp. Besides that, 'twas against an infinite God, it was Malum complexum, a voluminous Sin, there were many Sins twisted together in it: As Cicero saith of Parricide, He who is guilty of it, Plurima committit peccata in uno, he commits many Sins in one. So there were many Sins in this one Sin of Adam. A big-bellied Sin, a Chain with many Links, ten Sins in it, 1. Incredulity; our first Parents did not believe what God had spoken was truth. God said, They should die the death in the day they eat of that tree. They believed not that they should die; they could no • be persuaded that such fair Fruit had Death at the Core. Thus by Unbelief they made God a Liar; nay, which was worse, they believed the Devil rather then God.

2. Unthankfulness, which is the Epitome of all Sin. Adam 's Sin was committed in the midst of Paradise: God had enriched him with Variety of Mercies; he had stamped his own Image upon him; he had made him Lord of the World, gave him of all the Trees of the Garden to eat (one only excepted) and now to take of that Tree! This was high Ingratitude; this was like the Dye to the Wool, which made it Crimson. When Adam 's Eyes were opened, and he saw what he had done, well might he be ashamed, and hide himself, to sin in the midst of Paradise: How could he look God in the Face without Blushing?

3. In Adam 's Sin was Discontent: Had not he been discontented, he would never have sought to have altered his Condition. Adam one would think had enough, he differed but little from the Angels, he had the Robe of Innocence to clothe him, and the Glory of Paradise to crown him: yet he was not content, he would have more; he would be above the ordinary Rank of Creatures. How wide was Adam 's Heart, that a whole World could not fill it.

4. Pride, in that he would be like God: This Worm that was but newly crept out of the Dust, now aspires after a Deity; Ye shall be as gods, (saith Satan.) And Adam hoped to have been so indeed: he supposed the Tree of Knowledge would have anointed his Eyes and made him Omniscient. But by climbing too high he got a Fall.

5. Disobedience: God said, Thou shalt not eat of the Tree ; he would eat of it though' it cost him his Life. Disobedience is a Sin against Equity; it is equal we should serve him from whom we have our Subsistance. God gave Adam his Allowance, therefore it was but equal he should give God his Allegiance: therefore Disobedience was against Equity. How could God endure to see his Laws trampled on before his Face? This made God place a flaming Sword at the end of the Garden.

6. Curiosity, to meddle with that which was out of his Sphere, and did not belong to him. God smote the Men of Bethshemesh but for looking into the Ark, 1 Sam. 6.19. Adam would be prying into God's Secrets, and tasting what was forbidden.

7. Wantonness: Though Adam had choice of all the other Trees, yet his Palate grew wanton, and he must have this Tree. Like Israel, God sent them Manna, Angels Food, aye, but they had an hankering after Quails; it was not enough God did supply their Wants, unless he would satisfy their Lusts. Adam had not only for Necessity, but for Delight, yet his wanton Palate lusted after forbidden Fruit.

8. Sacrilege: The Tree of Knowledge was none of Adam 's, yet he took of it, and did sacrilegiously rob God of his Due. It was counted a great Crime in Harpalus to rob the Temple, and steal the Silver Vessels. So in Adam to steal Fruit from that Tree which God had peculiarly enclosed for himself. Sacrilege is double Theft.

9. Murder. Adam was a public Person, and all his Posterity were involved and wrapped up in him, and he sinning, did at one destroy all his Posterity, if Free-grace did not interpose. If Abel 's Blood did cry so loud in God's Ears, Gen. 4.10. The voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground ; then how loud did the Blood of all Adam 's Posterity cry against him for Vengeance.

10. Presumption. Adam presumed of God's Mercy; he blessed himself, saying, he should have Peace; he thought though he did transgress, he should not die; God would sooner reverse his Decree then punish him; high Presumption! What an heinous sin then was Adam 's breach of Covenant?

Use. One sin may have many sins in it. We are apt to have slight thoughts of sin, it is but a little one; How many sins were in Adam 's sin? O take heed of any sin! As in one Volume there may be many Works bound up, so there may be many sins in one sin.

3. The dreadfulness of the Effect. It hath corrupted Man's Nature. How rank is that Poison, a drop whereof should poison a whole Sea? And how deadly is that sin of Adam, that should poison all Mankind, and bring a Curse upon them, till it be taken away by him, who was made a Curse for us.

Original SIN.

Quest. XII. DID all Mankind fall in Adam's Transgression?

Answ. The Covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his Posterity, all Mankind descending from him by ordinary Generation, sinned in him, and fell within his first Transgression.

Rom. 5.12. By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, &c.

Adam being a Representative Person, he standing, we stood, and he falling, we fell: we sin'd in Adam ; so it is in the Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in whom all have sinned.

Adam was the Head of Mankind, and he being guilty, we are guilty, as the Children of a Traitor have their Blood stained: Omnes unus ill Adam fuerunt, Aug. All of us, saith Austin, sin'd in Adam, because we were part of Adam.

Object. If when Adam fell, all Mankind fell with him, why then when one Angel fell, did not all Fall?

Resp. The Case is not the same. The Angels had no relation to one another; they are called Morning Stars ; the Stars have no dependence one upon another. But it is otherwise with us, we are in Adam's loins ; as a Child is a Branch of the Parent, we were part of Adam, therefore he sinning, we sinned.

Quest. How is Adam's sin made ours?

Resp. 1. By Imputation. The Pelagians of old held that Adam 's Transgression is hurtful to Posterity by Imitation only, not by Imputation. But the Text confutes that, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ▪ in whom all have sinned.

2. Adam 's sin is ours by Propagation. Not only is the guilt of Adam 's sin imputed to us, but the pravity and corruption of his Nature is derived to us, as Poison is carried from the Fountain to the Cistern. This is that which we call Original Sin ; Psal. 51.5. In sin did my mother conceive me. Adam 's Leprosy cleaves to us, as Naaman 's Leprosy did cleave to Gehazi, 2 Kings 5.27. This Original Concupiscence is called,

1. The Old Man, Eph. 4.22. It is said to be the Old man, not that it is weak, as Old men are, but for its long standing, and because of its deformity. In old age the fair blossoms of Beuty fall; so Original sin is the Old man, because it hath withered our Beauty, and made us deformed in God's Eye.

2. Original Concupiscence is called the Law of sin, Rom. 7.25. Original sin hath vim coactivam, the power of a Law. A Law binds the Subject to Allegiance. Men must needs do what sin will have them, when they have both the love of sin to draw them, and the law of sin to force them. In Original sin there is something privative, and something positive.

1. Something privative. Carentia justitiae debitae, we have lost that excellent quintissential frame of Soul which once we had. Sin hath cut the lock of original purity where our strength lay.

2. Something positive. Original sin hath contaminated and defiled our Virgin-nature 'Twas Death among the Romans to poison the Springs. Original sin hath poisoned the Spring of our Nature; it hath turned Beauty into Leprosy; it hath turned the azure brightness of our Souls into a midnight darkness.

Original sin is become connatural to us. A Man by Nature cannot but sin ; though there were no Devil to tempt, no bad Examples to imitate, yet there is such an innate principle in him, that he cannot forbear sinning, 2 Pet. 2.14. A peccato cessare nesciunt, who cannot cease to sin, as an Horse that is lame cannot go without halting. —In Original sin is,

1. An aversion from Good: Man hath a desire to be happy, yet opposeth that which should promote his happiness; he hath a disgust of holiness, he hates to be reformed. Since we fell from God, we have no mind to return to him.

2. A propension to Evil. If as the Pelagians say, there were so much goodness in us since the Fall, then why is there not as much natural proneness to Good, as there is to Evil. Our own experience tells us, that the natural bias of the Soul hath a tendency to that which is bad. The very Heathens by the Light of Nature saw this; Heriocles the Philosopher said, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 'tis grafted in us by Nature to sin: Men roll sin as honey under their Tongue.— They drink iniquity as water, Job 15.16. Like an hydropical person, that thirsts for drink and is not satisfied, so they have a kind of drought on them, they thirst for sin. They sin 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Eph. 4.19. Though they are tired out in committing sin, yet they sin; Ier. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity ; as a Man that follows his game while he is weary, yet he delights in it, and cannot leave off. Though God hath set so many flaming Swords in the way to stop Men in their sin, yet they go on in sin, which all shows what a strong Appetite they have to the forbidden Fruit.

That we may further see the Nature of Original sin, consider 1. The Universality of it; it hath, as a Poison, diffused itself into all the parts and powers of our Soul, Isa. 1.5. The whole Head is sick, the whole heart is faint. Like a sick Patient that hath no part sound, his Liver swelled, his Lungs perished, his Feet gangrened; such infected gangrened Souls have we, till Christ (who hath made a Medicine of his Blood) do Cure us,

1. Original sin hath depraved the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the intellectual part ; as in the Creation Darkness was upon the face of the deep, Gen. 1.2. so the Understanding; darkness is upon the face of this Deep. As there is Salt in every drop of the Sea, bitterness in every branch of Wormwood, so there is Sin in every Faculty; the Mind is obnubilated, we know little of God. Ever since Adam did eat of the Tree of Knowledge, and his Eyes were opened, we lost our Eyesight. Besides Ignorance in the Mind, there is Error and Mistake, we do not judge rightly of things, we put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter, Isa. 5.20. Besides this, there is much pride, superciliousness, and prejudice, many fleshly reasonings against the Truth, and swarms of vain Thoughts, Ier. 4.14. How long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee.

2. Original sin hath defiled the heart: the heart is mortiferum junius, deadly wicked, Ier. 17.9. It is a lesser Hell: in the heart are Legions of Lusts, obdurateness, infidelity, hypocrisy, sinful aestuations, it boils as the Sea with Passion and Revenge. Madness is in their heart while they live, Eccles. 9.3. the heart is Officina Diaboli, the Devil's Shop or Work-house, where all Mischief is framed.

3. The Will. Contumacy, it is the Seat of Rebellion: the sinner crosseth God's will to fulfil his own, Ier. 44.17. We will burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven. There is a rooted enmity in the will against Holiness; it is like an Iron sinew, it refuseth to bend to God. Where is then the freedom of the will? when it is so full, not only of indisposition, but opposition to what is Spiritual.

4. The Affections. These, as the strings of a Viol, are out of tune. These are the lesser Wheels, which are strongly carried by the will, the Master-wheel. Our Affections are misplaced, set on wrong Objects: our Love is set on Sin, our Joy on the Creature. Our Affections are naturally as a sick man's Appetite, he desires things which are noxious and hurtful for him; he calls for Wine in a Fever; so we have impure Lustings instead of holy Longings.

2. The adherency of Original sin. It cleaves to us as blackness to the skin of the Ethiopian, we cannot get rid of it. Paul shook off the Viper on his hand, but we cannot shake off this inbred Corruption: it may be compared to a wild Fig-tree growing on a Wall, though the Roots of it are pulled up, yet there are some strings of it in the joints of the Stone-work, which will not be eradicated, but will sprout forth till the Wall be pulled in pieces. Original Concupiscence comes not as a Lodger, for a Night, but is an in-dweller, Rom. 7.17. Sin which dwelleth in me. It is a malus genius, and evil spirit that haunts us wheresoever we go, Josh. 7.12. The Canaanite would dwell in the Land.

3. Original sin retards and hinders us in the exercises of God's Worship. Whence is all that dullness and deadness in Religion? it is the Fruit of Original sin: it is this rocks us asleep in Duty, Rom. 7.19. The good that I would I do not. Sin is compared to a weight, Hebr. 12.1. A Man that hath weights tied to his Legs, cannot run so fast: it is like that Fish Pliny speaks of, a Sea-Lamprey, that cleaves to the Keel of the Ship, and hinders its progress when it us under Sail.

4. Original sin, though it lies latent in the Soul, and be as a Spring which runs under ground, yet oft it breaks forth unexpectedly. Christian, thou canst not believe that evil which is in thy heart, and which will break forth suddenly if God leave thee; 2 Kings 8.13, 15. Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? Hazael could not believe he had such a root of bitterness in his heart, that he should rip up the Women with Child, Is thy servant a dog? yes, and worse then a dog, when that Original Corruption within was stirred up. If one had come to Peter, and said, Peter within a few hours thou wilt deny Christ; he would have said, Is thy servant a dog? But alas Peter did not know his own heart, nor how far that Corruption within would prevail upon them. The Sea may be calm, and look clear, but when the Wind blows, how doth it rage and foam? so, though now thy heart seems good, yet when a Temptation blows, how may Original Sin discover itself, making thee foam with Lust and Passion. Who would have thought to have found Adultery in David, and Drunkenness in Noah, and Cursing in Job? If God leave a Man to himself, how suddenly and scandalously may Original sin break forth in the holiest Men alive.

5. Original sin doth mix and incorporate itself with our Duties and Graces.

(1.) With out Duties ; as the hand which is paralitical or palsy, cannot move without shaking, as wanting some inward strength, so we cannot do any holy action without sinning, as wanting a Principle of Original Righteousness. As the Leper, whatever he touched became unclen; if he touched the Altar, the Altar did not sanctify him, but he polluted the Altar: such a Leprosy is Original sin, it defiles our Prayers and Tears; we cannot write without blotting. Though I do not say that the holy Duties and good Works of the Regenerate are sins, for that were to reproach the Spirit of Christ, by which they are wrought; yet this I say, that the best works of the godly have sin cleaving to them; only Christ's Blood makes atonement for our holy things.

(2.) With our Graces. There is some Unbelief mixed with Faith, Lukewarmness with Zeal, Pride with Humility. As bad Lungs cause an Astmah, or shortness of breath, so Original Corruption having infected our heart, our Greaces breath now very faintly.

6. Original sin is a vigorous active Principle within us; it doth not lie still, but is ever exciting and stirring us up to evil; it is an Inmate, very unquiet; Rom. 7.15. What I hate, that do I. How came Paul to do so? Original sin did irritate and stir him up to it. Original sin is like Quicksilver, always in motion; when we are asleep, sin is awake in the Fancy. Original sin sets the Head a plotting evil, and the Hands a working it; it hath in it principium motus, not quiet is, it is like the Pulse ever beating.

7. Original sin is the cause of all Actual ; it is fomes peccati, it is the Womb in which all actual sins are conceived. Hence come Murders, Adulteries, Rapines; it is the Trojan Horse, out of which a whole Army of Impieties come. Though Actual sins may be more scandalous, yet Original sin is more heinous ; the Cause is more then the Effect.

8. It is not perfectly cured in this Life. Grace, though it doth subdue sin, yet not wholly remove it. Though we are like Christ, having the first fruits of the Spirit, yet we are unlike him, having the remainders of the Flesh. There are two Nations in the Womb. Original sin is like that Tree, Dan. 4.23. though the Branches of it were hewn down, and the main body of it, yet the stumps and root of the Tree were left: Though the Spirit be still weakening and hewing down sin in the godly, yet the stump of Original sin is still left: it is a Sea, that will not in this Life be dried up.

Quest. But why doth God leave Original Corruption in us after Regeneration, he could quite free us from it if he pleased?

Resp. 1. He doth it to show the power of his Grace in the weakest Believer. Grace shall prevail against a Torrent of Corruption. Whence is this? the Corrupion is ours, but the Grace is God's.

2. God leaves Original Corruption to make us long after Heaven; when there shall be no Sin to defile, no Devil to tempt. When Elias was taken up to Heaven, his Mantle dropped off; so when the Angels shall carry us up to Heaven, this Mantle of sin shall drop off: we shall never complain more of an aking head, or an unbelieving heart.

Use 1. If Original sin be propagated to us, and will be inherent in us while we live here, then it Confutes the Libertines and Quakers, who say they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without sin; they hold Perfection; they show much Pride and Ignorance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : but we see the Seeds of Original sin remain in the best; Eccles. 7.20. There is not a just man lives, and sins not. And St. Paul complained of a body of death, Rom. 7.24. Grace though it doth purify Nature, it doth not perfect it.

Object. But doth not the Apostle say of Believers, that their old man is crucified, Rom. 6.6. and they are dead to sin, Rom. 7.11.

Resp. They are dead 1. Spiritually; they are dead as to the Reatus, the guilt of it, and as to the Regnum, the power of it; the love of sin is crucified.

2. They are dead to sin Legally ; as a Man that is Sentenced to Death is dead in Law, so they are legally dead to Sin; there is a Sentence of Death gone out against sin, it shall die and drop into the Crave; but at the present sin hath its Life lengthened out; nothing but Death of the Body can quite free us from the Body of Death.

Use 2. Let us lay to heart Original sin, and be deeply humbled for it; it cleaves to us as a Disease, it is an active Principle in us, stirring us up to Evil. Original sin is worse then all Actual sin; the Fountain is more then the Stream. Some think as long as they are civil, they are well enough; I, but thy Nature is poisoned, thou hast a proud, lustful, envious Nature; a River may have fair Streams, but Vermin at bottom. Thou carriest an Hell about thee, thou canst do nothing, but thou defilest it; thy Heart, like muddy ground, defiles the purest Water that runs thorough it. Nay, though thou art Regenerate, there is much of the Old Man in the New Man. O how should Original sin humble us! This is one reason God hath left Original sin in us, because he would have it as a Thorn in our side to humble us; as the Bishop of Alexandria, after the People had embraced Cristianity, destroyed all their Idols but one, that the sight of that Idol might make them loath themselves for their former Idolatry; So God leaves Original sin to pull down the Plumes of Pride. Under our silver Wings of Grace are black feet.

2. Let the sense of this make us daily look up to Heaven for help; beg Christ's Blood to wash away the guilt of sin, and his Spirit to mortify the power of it; beg further degrees of Grace; Gratiam Christi eo obnixiùs ambiamus, though Grace cannot make sin to be, yet not to reign; though Grace cannot expel sin, it can repel it: and for our Comfort, where Grace makes a Combat with sin, Death shall make a Conquest.

3. Let Original sin make us walk with continual Jealousy and Watchfulness over our Hearts. The Sin of our Nature is like a sleeping Lion, the least thing that awakens it makes it rage. The Sin of our Nature, though it seem quiet, and lies as Fire hid under the Embers, yet if it be a little stir'd and blown up by a Temptation, how quickly may it flame forth into scandalous Evils; therefore we had need always walk watchfully, Mark 13.37. I say to you all, watch. A wandering heart needs a watchful Eye.

MAN's Misery by the FALL.

Quest. XIII. WHat is the Misery of that Estate whereinto Man fell?

Resp. All Mankind by their Fall lost Communion with God, are under his Wrath and Curse, and so made liable to all Miseries in this Life, to Death itself, and to the Pains of Hell forever.

Ephes. 2.3. And were by nature the children of wrath. Adam left an unhappy Portion to his Posterity, Sin and Misery. We have already considered the first of these, Original Sin, now the Misery of that Estate; in the first we have seen Mankind Offending, in the second we shall see him Suffering. The Misery ensuing Original Sin, is twofold:

I. Privative: By this first Hereditary Sin we have lost Communion with God. Adam was God's Familiar, his Favorite, but Sin hath put us all out of Favor: When we lost God's Image, we lost his Acquaintance. God's banishing Adam out of Paradise, Hierogliphical, it shown how Sin hath banished us out of God's Love and Favor.

II. Positive: In four things, 1. Under the Power of Satan. 2. Heirs of God's Wrath. 3. Subject to all Miseries in this Life. 4. Obnoxious to Hell and Damnation.

1. The first Misery is, By Nature we are under the Power of Satan, ] who is called, The Prince of the Power of the Air, Eph. 2.2. Before the Fall Man was a free Denison, now a Slave; before a King on the Throne, now in Fetters. And who is Man enslaved too? To one that is an Hater of him. This was an Aggravation of Israel 's Servitude, Psal. 106.41. They that hated them ruled over them. By Sin we are enslaved to Satan, who is an Hater of Mankind, and writes all his Laws in Blood. Sinners before Conversion are under Satan's Command, as the Ass at the command of the Driver, he doth all the Devil's Drudgery. No sooner Satan tempts but he obeys; as the Ship is at the command of the Pilot, he steers it which way he will; so is the Sinner at the command of Satan, he may steer him which way he will; and he never steers the Ship but into Hell's Mouth. The Devil rules all the Powers and Faculties of a Sinner:

1. He rules the Understanding: He blinds Men with Ignorance, and then rules them. As the Philistines first put out Sampson 's Eyes, and then bound him. Satan can do what he will with an ignorant Man: he doth not see the Error of his way, therefore the Devil can lead him into any Sin; you may lead a blind Man any whither: Omne peccatum fundatur in ignorantia.

2. Satan rules the Will: Though he cannot force the Will, yet he can by a Tentation draw it, Joh. 8.44. The lusts of your father ye will do. He hath got your hearts, and him you will obey, Jer. 44.17. We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven. When the Devil spurs a Sinner by a Tentation, he will over Hedge and Ditch, break all God's Laws that he may obey Satan: Where then is Free-will? When Satan hath such power over the Will, his lusts ye will do. There's not any Member of the Body but is at the Devil's Service; the Head to plot Sin, the Hands to work it, the Feet to run on the Devil's Errand: Grave jugum servitutis, Cicero. Slavery is hateful to a Noble Spirit. Satan is the Worst Tyrant, the Cruelty of Cannibal or Nero is nothing to his; other Tyrants do but rule over the Bodies, he over the Conscience ; other Tyrants have some Pity on their Slaves, though they work in the Gally, they give them Meat, let them have Hours for Rest: but Satan is a Merciless Tyrant, he • ets Men have no Rest. What pains did Judas take, the Devil would let him have no rest till he had betrayed Christ, and afterwards embrued his Hands in his own Blood.

Use 1. See here our Misery by Original Sin, enslaved to Satan, Ephes. 2.2. Satan is said to work effectually in the Children of Disobedience: What a sad Plague is this for a Sinner to be at the will of the Devil. Just like a Slave, if the Turk bids him dig in the Mine, hew in the Quarres, tug at the Oar, the Slave must do it, he dares not refuse. If the Devil bids a Man Lye or Cozen, he doth not refuse; and which is worst, Men are enslaved, and they willingly obey this Tyrant; other Slaves are forced against their will. Israel sighed by reason of their bondage, Exod. 2.23. But Sinners are willing to be Slaves, they will not take their Freedom; they kiss their Fetters.

Use 2. Let us labor to get out of this deplorable Condition Sin hath plunged us into; get from under the Power of Satan: If any of your Children were Slaves, you would give great sums of Money to purchase their Freedom; your Souls are enslaved, and will you not labor to be set free. Improve the Gospel; the Gospel proclaims a Jubilee to Captives. Sin binds Men, the Gospel looseth them: Paul 's preaching was to turn Men from the Power of Satan to God, Acts 26.18. The Gospel-Star that leads you to Christ, and if you get Christ, then you are made free, though not from the Being of Sin, yet from Satan's Tyranny, Joh. 8.36. If the Son make you free, ye shall be free indeed. You hope to be Kings to Reign in Heaven, and will you let Satan Reign in you now? Never think to be Kings when you die, and Slaves while you live: The Crown of Glory is for Conquerors, not for Captives. Oh get out of Satan's Jurisdiction; get your Fetters of Sin filed off by Repentance.

2 Misery.] We are Heirs of God's Wrath. ] In the Text, And were by nature the children of wrath. Tertullian 's Exposition here is wrong, Chrildren of Wrath he understands subjective, that is, subject to Wrath and Passion; offending often in the Irascible Faculty of a wrathful Spirit. But by Children of Wrath, the Apostle passively means Heirs of Wrath, exposed to God's Displeasure. God was once a Friend, but Sin broke the Knot of Friendship; now God's Smile is turned into a Frown ; we are now bound over to the Sessions, and become Children of Wrath; And who knows the power of God • s wrath? Psal. 90.11. The Wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon, Prov. 19.12. How did Haman 's Heart tremble when the King rose up from the Banquet in wrath, Esth. 7.7. But God's Wrath is Infinite, all other is but as a Spark to a Flame: Wrath in God is not a Passion as in us; but it is an Act of God's Holy Will, whereby he abhors Sin, and decrees to punish it. This Wrath is very dismal, 'tis this Wrath of God that imbitters Afflictions in this Life: When Sickness comes attended with God's Wrath, it puts Conscience into an Agony. The mingling the Fire with the Hail made it so terrible, Exod. 9.24. so mingling God's Wrath with Affliction makes it torturing. It is the Nail in the Yoke ; God's Wrath when but in a Threatning, (as a Shower hanging in the Cloud) made Eli 's ears to tingle; What is it then when this Wrath is executed? It is terrible when the King rates and chides a Traitor, but it is more dreadful when he causeth him to be set upon the Rack, or to be broke upon the Wheel: Who knows the power of God's wath? While we are Children of Wrath, 1. We have nothing to do with any of the Promises; they are as the Tree of Life, bearing several sorts of Fruit, but no right to pluck one Leaf, Eph. 2.3. Children of wrath. Verse 12. Strangers to the covenants of promise. The Promises are as a Fountain sealed. While we are in the State of Nature, we see nothing but the flaming Sword; and as the Apostle, Heb. 10.27. there remains nothing but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a fearful looking for of fiery Indignation▪ 2. While Children of Wrath, we are Heirs to all God's Curses, Gal. 3.10. How can the Sinner eat and drink in that Condition? Like Damari • 's Banquet, he sat at Meat, and there was a Sword hanging over his Head by a small Thread; one would think he should have little stomach to eat: So the Sword of God's Wrath and Curse hangs every moment over a Sinner's head. We read of a flying Roll written with Curses, Zach. 5.3. There's a Roll written with Curses goes out against every Person that Lives and Dies in Sin: God's Curse blasts where-ever it comes. A Curse on the Sinner's Name, a Curse on his Soul, a Curse on his Estate, Posterity, a Curse on the Ordinances. Sad if all a Man did eat should turn to Poison: The Sinner eats and drinks his own Damnation at God's Table. Thus it is before Conversion. As the Love of God makes every bitter thing sweet, so the Curse of God makes every sweet thing bitter.

Use. See our Misery by the Fall, Heirs of Wrath: And is this Estate to be rested in? If a Man be fallen under the King's Displeasure, will he not labor to Re-ingratiate himself into his Favor. O let us fly from the Wrath of God! And whither should we fly, but to Jesus Christ? there's none else to shield off the Wrath of God from us, 1 Thess. 1.10. Jesus hath delivered us from wrath to come.

3. Subject to all outward Miseries: All the Troubles incident to Man's Life are the bitter Fruits of Original Sin; The sin of Adam hath subjected the Creature to Vanity, Rom. 8.20. Is it not a part of the Creature's Vanity, that all the Comforts here below will not fill the Heart, no more then the Mariner's breath can fill the Sails of a Ship: Job 2 • .22. In the midst of his sufficiency he shall be in straits. There is still something wanting, and a Man would have more: the Heart is always Hydropical, it thirsts and is not satisfied. Solomon put all the Creatures into a Lembick, and when he came to extract the Spirits and Quintissence, there was nothing but Froth, all was Vanity, Eccles. 1.2. Nay, 'tis vexing Vanity, not only Emptiness but Bitterness. Our Life is Labor and Sorrow, we come into the World with a Cry, go out with a Groan, Ps. 90.10. Some have said that they would not be to live the Life they have lived over again, because their Life hath had more Water in it than Wine. More Water of Tears then Wine of Joy: Quid est diu vivere nisi diu torqueri, Aug. Man is born to trouble, Job 5.7. Everyone is not born Heir to Land, but he is born Heir to Trouble; as well separate Weight from Lead. We do not finish our Troubles in this Life, but change them. Trouble is the Vermin bred out of the putred matter of Sin. Whence are all our Fears, but from Sin? 1 John. 4.18. There is torment in fear. Fear is the Ague of the Soul, sets it a shaking: some fear Want, others Alarms, others fear loss of Relations: If we rejoice 'tis with Trembling. Whence are all our Disappointment of Hopes, but from Sin? Where we look for Comfort, there a Cross: where we expect Honey there we taste Wormwood: Whence is it that the Earth is filled with Violence, that the Wicked oppresseth the Man which is more righteous then he? Hab. 1.13. Whence is it that so much Fraudulency in Dealing, so much Falseness in Friendship, such Crosses in Relations; whence is it Children prove Undutiful, they that should be as the Staff of the Parents Age, are a Sword to pierce their Hearts: Whence is it Servants are Unfaithful to their Masters. The Apostle speaks of some who have entertained Angels into their Houses, Heb. 13.2. But how oft instead of entertaining Angels into their Houses, do some entertain Devils? Whence are all the Mutinees and Divisions in a Kingdom? 2 Chr. 15.5. In those days there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in. All this is but the sour Core in that Apple our first Parents eat, viz. Fruit of Original Sin. Besides, all the Deformities and Diseases of the Body, Fevers, Convulsions, Catarrhs, Macies & nova febrium terris incubu • t cohors —These are from Sin. There had never been a Stone in the Kidnies, if it had not been first a Stone in the Heart. Yea, the death of the Body, is the Fruit and Result of Original Sin, Rom. 5.12. Sin entered into the world, and death by sin. Adam was made Immortal, conditionally, if he had not sinned; Sin digged Adam 's Grave. Death is terrible to Nature: Lewis King of France forbad all that came into his Court to mention the name of Death in his Ears. The Socinians say, That Death comes only from the Infirmness of the Constitution. But the Apostle saith, Sin ushered Death into the World: By sin came death. Certainly had not Adam eat of the Tree of Knowledge, he had not died, Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest, thou shalt surely (die,) implying, if Adam had not eat he should not have died. O then see the Misery ensuing upon Original Sin! Sin dissolves the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Harmony and good Temperature of the Body, it pulls this Frame in pieces.

4. Original Sin without Repentance exposeth to Hell and Damnation. This is the second Death, Rev. 20.14. Two things in it:

1. Poena Damni: Punishment of Loss; the Soul is banished from the Beatifical Presence of God, in whose Presence is Fulness of Joy.

2. Poena Sensus: Punishment of Sense; the Sinner feels the scalding Viols of God's Wrath: It is penetrating, abiding, Joh. 3.36. Reserved, 2 Pet. 2.17. If when God's Anger be kindled but a little, and a Spark or two of it flies into a Man's Conscience here in this life, it be so terrible, what then will it be when God stirs up all his Anger? In Hell there is the Worm and the Fire, Mark 9.44. Hell is the very Accent and Emphasis of Misery: There's Judgment without Mercy. O what Flames of Wrath, what Seas of Vengeance, what Rivers of Brimstone, are poured out there upon the Damn'd! Bellarmi • e is of Opinion, That one Glimpse of Hell-fire were enough to make the most fla • itious Sinner turn Christian; nay, live as an Hermit, a most strict mortified Life. What is all other Fire to this, but painted Fire? Ejus adesse intolerabile, ejus abesse impossible: To bear it will be intolerable, to avoid it will be impossible. And these Hell-torments are forever ; have no Period put to them, Rev. 9.6. They shall seek death and shall not find it. Origen fancied a Fiery Stream in which the Souls of sinful Men wer • to be purged after this Life, and then to pass into Heaven: but it is forever. The Breath of the Lord kindles that Fire; and where shall we find Engines or Buckets to quench it? Rev. 14.11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest night nor day. Thank Original Sin for all.

Use. 1. What sad thoughts should we have of this Primitive Original Sin, that hath created so many Miseries. What Honey can be got out of this Lyon, what Grapes can we gather off this Thorn? It sets Heaven and Earth against us: While we choose this Bramble to Rule, Fire comes out of the Bramble to devour us.

2. How are all Believers bound to Jesus Christ, who hath freed them from that Misery to which Sin hath exposed them, Eph. 1.7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood. Sin hath brought Trouble and a Curse into the World. Christ hath sanctified the Trouble, and removed the Curse. Nay, he hath not only freed Believers from Misery, but purchased for them a Crown of Glory and Immortality, 1 Pet. 5.4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.

Of the Covenant of Grace.

Quest. XIV. DID God leave Mankind to perish in this state of Sin and Misery?

Resp. No; He entered into a Covenant of Grace to deliver the Elect out of that estate, and bring them into a state of Grace by a Redeemer.

Isa. 55.3. I Will make an Everlasting Covenant with you. Man being by his Fall plunged into a Labyrinth of Misery, and having no way left to recover himself, God was pleased to enter into a New Covenant with him, and so restore him to Life by a Redeemer.

The great Proposition I shall go upon is, That there is a New Covenant ratified between God and the Elect.

Quest. What the New Covenant is?

Resp. It is a solemn Compact and Agreement made between God and fallen Man, wherein the Lord undertakes to be our God, and to make us his People.

Quest. What Names are given to the Covenant?

Resp. 1. It is called a Covenant of Peace, Ezek. 37.26. because it Seals up Reconciliation between God and humble Sinners. Before this Covenant there was nothing but Enmity ; God did not love us. A Creature that offends cannot be loved by an holy God; and we did not love him ; a God that condemns, cannot be loved by a guilty Creature: so that there was War on both sides. But God hath found out a way in the new Covenant to reconcile differing Parties, so that it is fitly called a Covenant of Peace.

2. It is called a Covenant of Grace, and well it may; for 1. it was with Grace, that when we had forfeited the first Covenant, God should enter into a new Covenant, after we had cast away ourselves. The Covenant of Grace is Tabula post naufragium, as a Plank after shipwreck. O the Free-grace of God, that he should parly with Sinners, and set his Wisdom and Mercy awork to bring Rebels into the Bond of the Covenant.

2. It is a Covenant of Grace, because it is a Royal Charter, all made up of Terms of Grace; That God will cast our sins behind his back ; that he will love us freely, Hos. 14.4. that he will give us a will to accept of the Mercy of the Covenant, and strength to perform the Conditions of the Covenant, Ezek. 37.26. All this is pure Grace.

Quest. Why would God make a Covenant with us?

Resp. 1. It is out of Induldgence, Favor, and Respect to us. A Tyrant will not enter into a Covenant with Slaves, he will not show them such Respect. God's entering into Covenant with us to be our God, is a Dignity he puts upon us. A Covenant is Insigne honoris, a Note of Distinction between God's People and Heathens, Ezek. 16.22. I will establish my Covenant with thee. When the Lorld told Abraham that he would enter into Covenant with him, Abraham fell upon his face, Gen. 17.2. as being amazed that the God of Glory should bestow such a Favor upon him.

2. God makes a Covenant with us to tie us fast to him; it is called in Ezekiel the Bond of the Covenant. God knows we have slippery hearts, therefore he will have a Covenant to bind us. 'It is horrid Impiety to go away from God after Covenant. If one of the Vestal Nuns, who had vowed herself to Religion, was deflowered, the Romans caused her to be burnt alive. 'It is Perjury to depart from God after solemn Covenant.

Quest. How doth the Covenant of Grace differ from the first Covenant made with Adam?

Resp. 1 st Difference. The Terms of the first Covenant were more strict and severe. For 1. The least failing would have made the Covenant with Adam null and void, but many Failings do not null the Covenant of Grace: I grant the least sin is a Trespass upon the Covenant, but it doth not make it null and void. There may be many Failings in the Conjugal Relation, but every Failing doth not break the Marriage-Bond. It would be sad, if as oft as we break Covenant with God, he should break Covenant with us; but God will not take advantage of every Failing, but in anger remember Mercy.

2. The first Covenant being broken, allowed the Sinner no remedy, all Doors of Hope were shut: but the New Covenant allows the Sinner a remedy; it leaves room for Repentance, it provides a Mediator, Hebr. 12.24. Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant.

2 d Difference. The first Covenant did run all upon working, the second upon believing, Rom. 4.5.

Quest. But are not Works required in the Covenant of Grace?

Answ. Yes; Tit. 3.8. This is a faithful saying, that they which believe in God be careful to maintain Good Works. But the Covenant of Grace doth not require Works in the same manner as the Covenant of Works did. In the first Covenant, Works were required as the Condition of Life; in the second, they are required only as the Signs of a Man that is alive. In the first Covenant, Works were required as Grounds of Salvation; in the New Covenant, they are required as Evidences of our Love to God. In the first they were required to the Justification of our Persons, in the New, to the Testification of our Grace.

Quest. What is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace?

Answ. The main Condition is Faith.

Quest. But why is Faith more the Condition of the New Covenant, then any other Grace?

Answ. To exclude all glorying in the Creature. Faith is an humble Grace. If Repentance or Works were the Condition of the Covenant, a Man would say, It is my Righteousness hath saved me: But if it be of Faith, where is boasting? Faith fetcheth all from Christ, and gives all the glory to Christ; 'tis most humble Grace. Hence it is God hath singled out this Grace to be the Condition of the Covenant.

And if Faith be the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, it excludes desperate presumptuous Sinners from the Covenant. They say there is a Covenant of Grace, and they shall be saved; but did you ever know a Bond without a Condition? The Condition of the Covenant is Faith, and if thou hast no Faith, thou hast no more to do with the Covenant than a Foreigner, or a Country Farmer with the City Charter.

Use 1. of Information. See the amazing Goodness of God to enter into Covenant with us. He never entered into Covenant with the Angels when they fell. It was much Condescension in God to enter into Covenant with us in a state of Innocency, but it was more to enter into Covenant with us in a state of Enmity. In this Covenant of Grace we may see the Cream of God's Love, and the working of his Bowels to sinners. This is a Marriage-Covenant, Ier. 3.14. I am married to you, saith the Lord. In the New Covenant God makes himself over to us, and what can he give more? And he makes over his Promises to us, and what better Bond can we have?

Use 2. of Trial. Whether we are in Covenant with God. There are three Characters.

1. God's Covenant People are an humble People, 1 Pet. 5.5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , be ye clothed with humility. God's People esteem of others better then themselves; they shrink into nothing in their own thoughts, Phil. 2.3. David cries out, I am a worm, and no man, Psal. 22.6. though a Saint, though a King, yet a Worm. When Moses 's Face shined, he covered it with a Vail: God's People, when they shine most in Grace, are covered with the Vail of Humility. Pride excludes from the Covenant. God resisteth the proud, 1 Pet. 5.5. and sure such are not in Covenant with God, whom he resists.

2. A People in Covenant with God are a willing People; though they cannot serve God perfectly, they serve him willingly. They do not grudge God a little time spent in his Worship, they do not hesitate or murmur at Sufferings, they will go through a Sea and a Wilderness if God calls; Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be a willing people: Hebr. gnam nedabot, a people of willingness. This spontanity and willingness is from the attractive Power of God's Spirit: the Spirit doth not impellere, force, but trahere, sweetly draw the Will; and this willingness in Religion makes all our Services accepted. God doth sometimes accept of willingness without the work, but never the work without willingness.

3. God's Covenant People are a consecrated People, they have holiness to the Lord written upon them; Cast a placent superis —Deut. 7.6. Thou art an holy people to the Lord thy God. God's Covenant People are separated from the World, and sanctified by the Spirit. The Priests under the Law were not only to wash in the great Laver, but were arrayed with glorious Apparel, Exod. 28.2. This was Typical, to show God's People are not only washed from gross sin, but adorned with holiness of heart: they bear not only God's Name, but Image. Tamerlain refused a Pot of Gold, when he saw it had not his Fathers stamp upon it, but the Roman stamp. Holiness is God's stamp, if he doth not see this stamp upon us, he will not own us for his Covenant People.

Use 3. of Exhort. To such as are out of Covenant, labor to get into Covenant and have God for your God. How glad would the old World have been of an Ark? How industrious should we be to get within the Ark of the Covenant.

Consider 1. the Misery of such as live and die out of Covenant with God. 1. Such have none to go to in an hour of distress. When Conscience accuseth, when Sickness approacheth (which is but an Harbinger to bespeak a Loding for Death) then what will you do? whither will you fly? will you look to Christ for help? He is a Mediator only for such as are in Covenant. O! how will you be filled with horror and despair, and be as Saul, 1 Sam. 15.28. The Philistines make war against me, and the Lord is departed. 2. Till you are in Covenant with God, there is no Mercy. The Mercy-Seat was placed upon the Ark, and the Mercy-Seat was no larger then the Ark; to show, that the Mercy of God reacheth no further then the Covenant.

2. The Excellency of the Covenant of Grace; it is a better Covenant then the first made with Adam. 1. Because it is more friendly and propitious. Those Services which would have been rejected in the first Covenant, are accepted in the second. Here God accepts of the Will for the Deed, 2 Cor. 8.10. here sincerity is crowned. In the Covenant of Grace, wherein we are weak, God will give strength, and wherein we come short, God will accept of a Surety. 2. It is a better Covenant, because it is surer. 2 Sam. 23.5. Thou hast made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure. The first Covenant was not sure, it stood upon a tottering foundation, Works; Adam had no sooner a stock of Righteousness to trade with, but he broke; but the Covenant of Grace is sure, it is confirmed with God's Decree, and it rests upon two mighty Pillars, the Oath of God, and the Blood of God. 3. It hath better Privileges. The Covenant of Grace brings preferment. Our Nature is now more ennobled, we are raised to higher Glory then in Innocency, we are advanced to sit upon Christ's Throne, Rev. 3.21. we are by virtue of the Covenant of Grace nearer to Christ then the Angels. They are his Friends, we his Spouse.

3. God is willing to be in Covenant with you. Why doth God woe and beseech you by his Ambassadors to be reconciled, if he were not willing to be in Covenant?

Object. I would fain be in Covenant with God, but I have been a great sinner, and I fear God will not admit me into Covenant.

Resp. If thou seest thy sins, and loathest thyself for them, yet God will take thee into Covenant, Isa. 43.24. Thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities; I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions. As the Sea covers great Rocks, so God's Covenant-Mercy covers great Sins. Some of the Jews that crucified Christ, yet had their sins washed away in his Blood.

Object. But I am not worthy that ever God should admit me into Covenant.

Answ. It never came into God's thoughts to make a New Covenant upon Terms of Worthiness. If God should show Mercy to none but such as are worthy, then he must show Mercy to none at all. But, it is God's design in the New Covenant to advance the riches of Grace, to love us freely, and when we have no worthiness of our own, to accept us through Christ's worthiness. Therefore let not unworthiness discourage you; it is not unworthiness excludes any from the Covenant, but unwillingness.

Quest. What shall we do that we may be in Covenant with God?

Answ. 1. Seek to God by Prayer. Exige à Domino misericordiam, Aug. Lord be my God in Covenant. The Lord hath made an express Promise, that upon our Prayer to him, the Covenant shall be ratified, he will be our God, and we shall be his People; Zach. 13.9. They shall call upon my Name, and I will hear them; I will say it is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God. Only it must be an importunate Prayer. Come as earnest Suiters, resolve to take no denial.

2. If you would be in Covenant with God, break off the Covenant with Sin; before the Marriage-Covenant, there must be a Divorce, 1 Sam. 7.3. If ye return to the Lord with all your hearts, put away the strange gods; and they put away Ashtaroth; viz. their Female God's. Will any King enter into Covenant with that Man who is in League with his Enemies?

3. If you would enter into the Bond of the Covenant, get Faith in the Blood of the Covenant. Christ's Blood is the Blood of Atonement; believe in this Blood and you are safely arked in God's Mercy; Eph. 2.13. Ye are made nigh to the blood of Christ.

Use 4. Of Comfort to such as can make out their Covenant Interest in God: 1. You that are in Covenant with God, all your sins are pardoned. Pardon is the crowning Mercy, Psal. 103.3. Who forgiveth thy iniquity, who crowneth thee, &c. This is a branch of the Covenant, Ier. 31.33. I will be their God, and I will forgive their iniquity. Sin being pardoned, all wrath ceaseth. How terrible is it when but a Spark of God's Wrath flies into a Man's Conscience; but sin being forgiven, no more wrath. God doth not appear now in the Fire, or Earthquake, but covered with a Rain-bow full of Mercy.

2. All your Temporal Mercies are Fruits of the Covenant. Wicked Men have Mercies by Providence, not by virtue of a Covenant ; with God's leave, not with his Love. But such as are in Covenant have their Mercies sweetened with God's Love, and they swim to them in the Blood of Christ. As Naaman said to Gehazi, 2 Kings 5.23. Take two Talents, so saith God to such as are in Covenant, Take two Talents; take Health, and take Christ with it; take Riches, and take my Love with them; take the Venison, and take the Blessing with it: Take two Talents.

3. You may upon all Occasions plead the Covenant. If you are haunted with Temptation, plead the Covenant; Lord, thou hast promised to bruise Satan under my feet shortly; wilt thou suffer thy Child to be thus worried? take off the roaring Lion. If in want, plead the Covenant; Lord, thou hast said, I shall want no good thing, wilt thou save me from Hell, and not from Want? wilt thou give me a Kingdom, and deny me daily Bread?

4. If in Covenant with God, all things shall co-operate for your Good: Etiam mala cedunt in bonum. Psal. 25.10. Not only golden paths, but his bloody paths. Every wind of Providence shall blow them nearer Heaven. Affliction shall humble and purify, Hebr. 12.10. Out of the bitterest Drug, God distils your Salvation. Afflictions add to the Saints Glory. The more the Diamond is cut, the more it sparkles; the heavier the Saints Cross, the heavier shall be their Crown.

5. If thou art in Covenant once, then forever in Covenant. The Text calls it Berith Gnolam, an everlasting Covenant. Such as are in Covenant are elected; God's electing Love is unchangeable, Ier. 32.40. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, but I will put my fear in there heart, that they shall not depart from me. God will so love the Saints, that he will not forsake them: and the Saints shall so fear God, that they shall not forsake him. 'It is Berith Gnolam, a Covenant of Eternity ; it must be so; for who is this Covenant made with? is it not with Believers? and have not they Coalition and Union with Christ; Christ is the Head, they are the Body, Eph. 1.23. This is a near Union, much like that Union between God the Father and Christ, John 17.21. As thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. Now the Union between Christ and the Saints being so inseparable, it can never be dissolved, or the Covenant made void; you may die with Comfort.

6. Thou art in Covenant with God, and thou art going to thy God, behold a Death-bed Cordial; Death breaks the Union between the Body and the Soul, but perfects the Union between Christ and the Soul. This hath made the Saints desire Death, as the Bride the Wedding-day, Phil. 1.23. Cupio dissolvi, Lead me Lord to that Glory ( said one ) a glimpse whereof I have seen, as in a Glass, darkly.

Use 5. of Direct. To show you how you should walk who have tasted of Covenant-Mercy, Live as a People in Covenant with God. As you differ from others in respect of Dignity, so you must in point of Carriage.

1. You must love this God. God's Love to you calls for Love. 1. It is Amor Gratiatus, a free Love. Why should God pass by others and take you into a League of Friendship with himself? In the Law God passed by the Lion and Eagle, and chose the Dove; so he passes by the Noble and Mighty. 2. It is Amor plenns, a full Love. When God takes you into Covenant, you are his Hephsibah, Isa. 62.3. his delight is in you; he gives you the Key of all his Treasure, he heaps Pearls upon you, he settles Heaven and Earth upon you; he gives you a Bunch of Grapes by the way, and saith, Son, all I have is thine. And doth not all this call for Love? Who can tread upon these hot Coals, and his heart not burn in love to God?

2. Walk Holily. The Covenant hath made you a Royal Nation, therefore be an holy People. Shine as Lights in the World; live as Earthly Angels. God hath taken you into Covenant, that you and he may have Communion together: and what is it keeps up your Communion with God, but Holiness.

3. Walk thankfully, Psal. 103.1. God is your God in Covenant; he hath done more for you, then if he had made you ride upon the high Places of the Earth, and given you Crowns and Scepters. O! Take the Cup of Salvation, and bless the Lord. Eternity will be little enough to praise him. Musicians love to play on their Music where there is the loudest sound; and God loves to bestow his Mercies where he may have the loudest Praises. You that have Angels Reward, do Angels Work. Begin that Work of Praise here, which you hope to be always doing in Heaven.

CHRIST the Mediator of the Covenant.

JEsus Christ is the Sum and Quintessence of the Gospel; the Wonder of Angels; the Joy and Triumph of Saints. The Name of Christ is sweet, it is as Music in the Ear, Honey in the Mouth, and a Cordial at the Heart.

I shall wave the Context, and only speak of that which concerns our present Purpose: Having discoursed of the Covenant of Grace, I shall speak now of the Mediator of the Covenant, and the Restorer of lapsed Sinners, JESUS the Mediator of the Covenant.

There are several Names and Titles in Scripture given to Christ, as the Great Restorer of Mankind: 1. Sometimes he is called a Savior, Matth. 1.21. His name shall be called Jesus. The Hebrew word for Jesus Ioshuang, signifies a Savior; and whom he saves from Hell he saves from Sin: where Christ is a Savior he is a Sanctifier, Matth. 1.21. He shall save his people from their sins. There is no other Savior, Acts 4.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Neither is there salvation in any other. As there was but one Ark to save the World from drowning, so there is but one Jesus to save Sinners from damning. As Naomi said to her Daughters-in-law, Ruth 1.11. Are there yet anymore sons in my womb? So hath God any other Sons in the Womb of his Eternal Decree, to be Savior's to us, besides Christ? Job 28.13. Where shall wisdom be found? the deep saith it is not in me, and the sea saith it is not with me. Let me allude, Where shall Salvation be found? The Angel saith it is not in me; Morality saith it is not in me; the Ordinance saith it is not in me: Christ alone is the Well-spring of Life, the Ordinance is the Conduit-pipe that conveys Salvation, but Christ is the Spring that feeds it, Neither is there salvation in any other.

2. Sometimes Christ is called a Redeemer, Isa. 59.20. The redeemer shall come to Zion. Some understand it of Cyrus, others of an Angel, but the most ancient Jewish Doctors understand it of Christ the Redeemer of the Elect: Job 19.25. My redeemer liveth. The Hebrew word for Redeemer, Goel, signifies such an one as is near a Kin, and hath Right to redeem a Mortgage. So Christ is near a kin to us, being our Elder Brother, therefore hath the best right to redeem us.

3. Christ is called a Mediator in the Text, Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. The Greek word for Mediator 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifies a middle Person, one that doth make up the breach between two disagreeing Parties. God and we were at Variance by Sin, now Christ doth Mediate and Umpire between us; he reconciles us to God through his Blood, therefore is called the Mediator of the New Covenant. There is no way of Communion and Intercourse between God and Man, but in and through a Mediator: Christ takes away the Enmity in us, and the Wrath in God, and so makes Peace; nor is Christ only a Mediator of Reconciliation, but Intercession, Heb. 9.24. Christ is entered not into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. The Priest when he had slain the Sacrifice was to go with the Blood before the Altar and Mercy-seat, and show it to the Lord. Now in Christ our Blessed Mediator consider two things,

• 1. His Person.
• 2. His Graces.

1. His Person: His Person is amiable, he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all made up of Love and Beauty. He is the Effigies of his Father, Heb. 1.3. The express image of his person. Consider,

• 1. Christ's Person in two Natures.
• 2. His two Natures in one Person.

1. Christ's Person in two Natures: 1. Look upon his Human Nature as Incarnate. The Valentinians deny his Human Nature; but Joh. 1.14. The Word was made Flesh ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 'It is spoken of Christ, the promised Messiah. Christ took our Flesh that the same Nature which sinned might suffer; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The word made flesh, that through the Glass of his Human Nature we might look upon God.

Quest. Why is Christ called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Word?

Resp. Because as a Word is the Interpreter of the Mind, and reveals what is in a Man's breast, so Jesus Christ reveals his Father's Mind to us, concerning the great Matters of our Salvation, John 1.18. Were it not for CHRIST's Manhood, the sight of the Godhead would be formidable to us: but through Christ's Flesh we may look upon God without Terror. And Christ took our Flesh that he might know how to pity us; he knows what it is to be faint, sorrowful, tempted, Psal. 103.14. He knows our frame. And he took our Flesh that he might (as Austin saith,) Ennoble our Human Nature with Honor. Christ having married our Flesh, hath exalted it above the Angelical Nature.

2. Look upon Christ's Divine Nature: Christ may fitly be compared to Jacob 's Ladder, Gen. 28.12. which reached from Earth to Heaven; Christ's Human Nature was the foot of the Ladder which stood upon Earth, his Divine Nature the top of the Ladder, which reached to Heaven. This being a grand Article of our Faith, I shall amplify: I know the Arians, Socinians, Ebionites would rob Christ of the best Jewel of his Crown, his Godhead; but the Apostolical, Nicene, Athanasian Creed, affirm Christ's Deity, to this the Churches of Helvetia, Bohemia, Wittembergh, Transylvania, &c. give their full Consent; and the Scripture is clear for it. He is called the Mighty God, Isa. 9.6. El Gibber; and in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead, Col. 2.9. He is not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of the same Nature and Essence with the Father. So Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, 1. Is God the Father called Almighty, so is Christ, Rev. 1.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Almighty. 2. Is God the Father the Heart-searcher, so is Christ, John. 2.25. He knew their thoughts. 3. Is God the Father Omnipresent, so is Christ, Joh. 3.13. The Son of man which is in heaven. Christ as God was then in Heaven, when as Man he was upon the Earth.

Quest. Is God Eternal?

Resp. Christ is the Everlasting Father, Isa. 9.6. which Scripture may be urged against the Cerinthian Heretics who denied the Pre-existency of Christ's Godhead, and held that Christ had no being till he derived it from the Virgin Mary.

4. Doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Divine Worship belong to the first Person in the Trinity? so it doth to Christ, John. 5.23. Heb. 1.6. Let all the angels of God worship him. 5. Is Creation proper to the Deity? This is a Flower of Christ's Crown, Col. 1.16. By him were all things created. 6. Is Invocation proper to the Deity? This is given to Christ, Acts 7. Lord Jesus receive my spirit. 7. Is Recumbency and Trust peculiar to God the Father? This is given to Christ, Joh. 14.1. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Christ must needs be God, not only that the Divine Nature might support the Human from sinking under God's Wrath, but also to give Value and Weight to his Sufferings.

Christ being God, his Death and Passion is Meritorious; Christ's Blood is called Sanguis Dei, The Blood of God, Acts 20.28. because the Person who was offered in Sacrifice was God as well as Man. This is an invincible Support to Believers; it was God who was offended, and it was God who satisfied. Thus Christ's Person in two Natures.

2. Consider Christ's two Natures in one Person: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God-Man ; 1 Tim. 3.16. God manifest in the flesh. Christ had a twofold Substance, Divine and Human, yet not a twofold Subsistance, both Natures make but one Christ: A Siens may be grafted into another Tree, a Pear-tree into an Apple, which though it bear different Fruits is but one Tree: So Christ's Manhood is united to the Godhead in an ineffable manner; yet though here are two Natures, yet but one Person. This Union of the two Natures in Christ was not by Transmutation, the Divine Nature changed into the Human, or the Human into the Divine; nor by Mixture, the two Natures mingled together, as Wine and Water are mixed: Both the Natures of Christ remain distinct, yet make not two distinct Persons, but one Person, the Human Nature not God, yet one with God.

3. Consider Christ our Mediator in his Graces: These are the sweet Savour of his Oyntments that make the Virgins love him. Christ our Blessed Mediator is said to be full of grace and truth, Joh. 1.14. He had the anointing of the Spirit without measure, Joh. 3.34. Grace in Christ is after a more eminent and glorious manner then it is in any of the Saints.

1. Jesus Christ our Mediator hath Perfection in every Grace: Col. 1.19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; He is a Panoply, Magazine and Store-house of all Heavenly Treasure, all Fulness: This no Saint on Earth hath, he may excel in one Grace, but not in all ; as Abraham was eminent for Faith; Moses for Meekness, but Christ excels in every Grace.

2. There is a never-failing Fulness of Grace in Christ: Grace in the Saints is Ebbing and Flowing, it is not always in the same degree and proportion: At one time David 's Faith was strong, at another time so faint and weak, that you could hardly feel any Pulse, Psal. 31.22. I said I am cut off from before thine eyes ; but Grace in Christ is a never-failing Fulness, it did never abate in the least degree; he never lost a drop of his Holiness. What was said of Joseph, may more truly be applied to Christ, Gen. 49.23. The archers shot at him, but his bow abode in strength. Men and Devils shot at him, but his Grace remained in its full vigor and strength; His bow abode in strength.

3. Grace in Christ is Communicative: His Grace is for us; the holy Oil of the Spirit was poured on the head of this Blessed Aaron, that it might run down upon us. The Saints have not Grace to bestow on others: when the foolish Virgins would have bought Oil of their Neighbor-Virgins, Matth. 25.9. Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. The wise Virgins answered, Not so, least there be not enough for us and you. The Saints have no Grace to spare to others; but Christ diffuseth his Grace to others. Grace in the Saints is as Water in the Vessel, Grace in Christ is as Water in the Spring, Joh. 1.16. Of his fullness have we received grace for grace. Set a Glass under a Still or Limbeck, and it receives Water from the Limbeck drop by drop: So the Saints have the Drops and Influences of Christ's Grace distilling upon them. What a rich Consolation is this to those who either have no Grace, or their Stock is but low ; they may go to Christ the Mediator, as to a Treasury of Grace; Lord, I am indigent, but whether should I carry my empty Vessel but to a full Fountain, Psal. 87.7. all my fresh Springs are in thee; I am guilty, thou hast Blood to pardon me; I am polluted, thou hast Grace to cleanse me; I am sick unto death, thou hast the Balm of Gilead to heal me, Gen. 41.56. Joseph opened all the Store-houses of Corn: Christ is our Joseph that opens all the Treasuries and Store-houses of Grace, and communicates to us. He is not only sweet as the Honey-comb, but drops as the Honey-comb. This is a great comfort, in Christ our Mediator there is a Cornucopia, and fullness of all Grace, and Christ is desirous that we should come to him for Grace, like the full Breast that aches till it be drawn.

Use 1. Admire the Glory of this Mediator, he is God-Man, he is co-essentially glorious with the Father. All the Jews that saw Christ in the Flesh, did not see his God-head: all that saw the Man, did not see the Messiah. The Temple of Solomon within was embellished with Gold: Travelers, as they passed along, might see the outside of the Temple, but only the Priests saw the Glory which sparkled within the Temple; only Believers, who are made Priests unto God, Rev. 1.6. see Christ's glorious inside, the God-head shining through the Manhood.

Use 2. If Christ be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God Man in one Person, then look unto Jesus Christ alone for Salvation. There must be something of the Godhead to fasten our Hope upon; in Christ there's Godhead and Manhood Hypostatically united. If we could weep Rivers of Tears, out-fast Moses on the Mount, if we were exact Moralists, touching the Law blameless, if we could arrive at the highest degree of Sanctification in this Life, all this would not save us without looking to the Merits of him who is God: our perfect Holiness in Heaven is not the cause of our Salvation, but the Righteousness of Jesus Christ. To this therefore did Paul fly, as to the Horns of the Altar, Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in him, not having my own righteousness. 'It is true we may look to our Graces as Evidences of Salvation, but Christ's Blood only as the Cause. In the time of Noah 's Flood, all that trusted to the high Hills and Trees, and not to the Ark, were drowned: Heb. 12.2. Looking unto Jesus ; and so look unto him as to believe in him, that so Christ may not only be united to our Nature, but to our Persons, Joh. 20.31. That believing you may have life thorough his name.

Use 3. Is Jesus Christ God and Man in one Person? This as it shows the Dignity of Believers, that they are nearly related to one of the greatest Persons that is, Col. 2.9. In him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily ; so it is of unspeakable Comfort, Christ's two Natures being married together, the Divine and Human; all that Christ in either of his Natures can do for Believers, he will do: In his Human Nature he Prays for them, in his Divine Nature he Merits for them. This for the Person of our Mediator.

Use 4. Admire the Love of Christ our Mediator; that he should humble himself, and take our Flesh, that he might redeem us. Believers should put Christ in their bosom, as the Spouse did Cant. 1.13. lie betwixt my Breasts. What was said of Ignatius, that the Name of Jesus was found written in his heart, should be verified of every Saint, he should have Jesus Christ written in his heart.

CHRIST a Prophet.

HAving spoken of the Person of Christ, we are next to speak of the Offices of Christ, Prophetical, Priestly, Regal.

1. Prophetical, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet. Enunciatur hic locus de Christo, 'tis spoken of Christ. There are several Names given to Christ as a Prophet: He is called the Counselor, Isa. 6.9. In uno Christo Angelus faederis completur, Fagius. The Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. a Lamp, 2 Sam. 22.29. the bright Morning-star, Rev. 22.16. Jesus Christ is the great Prophet of his Church; the Woman of Samaria gave a shrewd guess, John 4.19. He is the best Teacher; he makes all other teaching effectual, Luke 24.45. Then opened he their Understanding. He did not only open the Scriptures, but opened their Understanding. He teacheth to profit, Isa. 48.17. I am the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to profit.

Quest. How Christ teacheth?

Resp. 1. Externally, By his Word, Psal. 119.105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet. Such as pretend to have a Light or Revelation above the Word, or contrary to it, never had their Teaching from Christ, Isa. 8.20.

2. Christ teacheth these sacred Mysteries, Inwardly, by the Spirit, John 16.13. The World knows not what it is, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receives not the things of God, neither can ye know them. He knows not what it is to be Transformed by the renewing of the mind, Rom. 12.2. or what the inward workings of the Spirit means; these are Riddles and Paradoxes to him. He may have more insight into the things of the World then a Believer, but he doth not see the deep things of God. A Swine may see an Acorn under the Tree, but he cannot see a Star: he who is taught of Christ sees the Arcana imperii, the Secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Quest. What are the Lessons Christ teacheth?

Answ. 1. He teacheth us to see into our own Hearts. Take the most Mercurial Wits, the greatest Politicians, that understand the Mysteries of State, yet they know not the Mysteries of their own Hearts, they cannot believe there is that Evil in them as is, 2 Kings 8.13. Is thy servant a dog? Grande profundum est homo, Aug. The Heart is a great deep which is not easily fathomed. But Christ, when he teacheth, removes the Vail of Ignorance, and lights a Man into his own Heart. And now he sees swarms of vain Thoughts, he blusheth to see how Sin mingles with his Duties, his Stars are mixed with Clouds; he prays, as Austin, that God would deliver him from himself.

2. The second Lesson Christ teacheth, is the Vanity of the Creature. A Natural Man sets up his Happiness here, worships the golden Image; but he that Christ hath anointed with his Eye-salve hath a Spirit of Discerning, he looks upon the Creature in its night dress, sees it to be empty and unsatisfying, not commensurate to an Heaven-born Soul. Solomon had put all the Creatures into a Limbeck, and when he came to extract the Spirits and Quintissence, all was Vanity, Eccl. 2.11. The Apostle calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Show or Apparition ▪ 1 Cor. 7.31. having no intrinsical Goodness.

3. The third Lesson is the Excellency of Things unseen. Christ gives the Soul a sight of Glory, a prospect of Eternity, 2 Cor. 4.18. We look not at things which are seen, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , things which are not seen. Moses saw him who is invisible, Hebr. 11.27. And the Patriarchs saw a better Country, viz. an heavenly, Hebr. 11.16. where Delights of Angels, Rivers of Pleasure, the Flower of Joy fully ripe and blown.

Quest. How doth Christ's Teaching differ from other Teaching?

Resp. Several ways.

1. Christ teacheth the Heart. Others may teach the Ear, Christ the Heart, Acts 16.14. Whose heart the Lord opened. All that the Dispensers of the Word can do, is but to work Knowledge, Christ works Grace. They can but give you the light of the Truth, Christ gives you the love of the Truth. They can only teach you what to believe, Christ teacheth how to believe.

2 Christ gives us a Taste of the Word; Ministers may set the Food of the Word before you, and carve it out to you, but it is only Christ causeth you to taste it, 1 Pet. 2.3. If so be ye have tasted, the Lord is gracious. Psal. 34.8. Taste and see that the Lord is good. It is one thing to hear a Truth preached, another thing to taste it; one thing to read a Promise, another thing to taste it. David had got a taste of the Word, Psal. 119.102, 103. Thou hast taught me. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter then honey to my mouth. The Apostle calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the savor of Knowledge, 2 Cor. 2.14. The light of Knowledge is one thing, the savor another. Christ makes us taste a savoriness in the Word.

3. Christ when he teacheth makes us obey. Others may instruct, but cannot command obedience. They teach to be humble, but Men remain proud. The Prophet had been denouncing Judgments against the People of Judah, but they would not hear, Ier. 44.17. We will do whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, to bake cakes to the Queen of Heaven. Men come quasi armed in Coat of Male, that the Sword of the Word will not enter; but when Christ comes to teach, he removes this obstinacy, he not only informs the Judgment, but inclines the Will. He doth not only come with the Light of his Word, but the Rod of his Strength, and makes the stubborn sinner yield to him. His Grace is irresistible.

4. Christ teacheth easily. Others teach with difficulty. Difficulty in finding out a Truth, and in inculcating it, Isa. 28.10. Precept must be upon precept, line upon line ; some may Teach all their lives, and the Word take no impression. They complain as Isa. 49.4. I have spent my labor in vain. Plough on Rocks. But Christ the great Prophet teacheth with ease. He can with the least touch of his Spirit convert. He can say, Let there be light ; with a word he conveys Grace.

5. Christ when he teacheth, makes Men willing to learn. Men may teach others, but they have no mind to learn, Prov. 1.7. Fools despise instruction ; they rage at the Word, as if a Patient should rage at the Physician when he brings him a Cordial: thus backward are Men to their own Salvation. But Christ makes his People a willing people, Psal. 110.3. they prize Knowledge, and hang it as a Jewel upon their Ear. Those that Christ teacheth, say as Isa. 2.3. Come let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in them: and as Acts 10.33. We are all here present before God, to hear all things commanded.

6. Christ when he Teacheth, doth not only illuminate, but animate. He doth so teach, as he doth quicken; John 8.12. I am the light of the world, he that follows me shall have lumen vitae, the light of life. By Nature we are dead, therefore unfit for teaching; who will make an Oration to the Dead? But Christ teacheth them that are dead, he gives the light of life ; as when Lazarus was dead, Christ said, Come forth, and he made the dead to hear, Lazarus came forth. So when Christ saith to the dead Soul, Come forth of the Grave of Unbelief, he hears Christ's voice, and comes forth; it is the Light of Life. The Philosophers saith, Calor & lux concrescunt, Light and Heat increase together. 'It is true here; where Christ comes with his Light, there is the heat of Spiritual Life going along with it.

Use 1. of Information. Branch 1. See here an Argument of Christ's Divinity. Had he not been God, he could never have known the Mind of God, or revealed to us those Arcana Caeli, those deep Mysteries which no Man or Angel could find out. Who but God can anoint the eyes of the blind? and give not only light, but sight? who but he who hath the Key of David can open the Heart? who but God can bow the iron sinew of the Will? He only who is God can enlighten the Conscience, and make the stoney Heart bleed.

Branch 2. See what a Cornucopia, or Plenty of Wisdom is in Christ, who is the Great Doctor of his Church, and gives saving knowledge to all the Elect. The Body of the Sun must needs be full of Charity and Brightness, which enlightens the whole World. Christ is the great Luminary. In him are hid all Treasures of Knowledge, Col. 2.3. The middle Lamp of the Sanctuary gave light to all the other Lamps. Christ duffuseth his glorious Light to others. We are apt to admire the Learning of Aristotle and Plato ; alas! what is this poor Spa • k of Light to that which is in Christ, from whose infinite Wisdom both Men and Angels light their Lamp.

Branch 3. See the Misery of Men in the state of Nature, before Christ came to be their Prophet, they are inveloped with Ignorance and Da • kness. Men know nothing in a salvifical, sanctified manner; they know nothing as they ought to know▪ 1 Cor. 8.2. This is sad: 1. Men in the dark cannot discern Colours; so in the state of Nature, they cannot discern between Morality and Grace; they take one for the other, pro dea nubem. 2. In the dark the greatest Beauty is hid. Let there be rare Flowers in the Garden, and Pictures in the Room, yet in the dark their Beauty is veiled over; so, though there be such transcendent Beauty in Christ as amazeth the Angels, a Man in the state of Nature, sees none of this Beauty. What is Christ to him? or Heaven to him? the veil is upon his heart? 3. A Man in the dark is in danger every step he goes; so a Man in the state of Nature is in danger every step, of falling into Hell. Thus it is before Christ teacheth us; nay, the darkness in which a Sinner is, while in an unregenerate state, is worse then natural darkness; for, natural darkness affrights, Gen. 15.12. An horror of great darkness fell upon Abraham. But the Spiritual Darkness is not accompanied with horror, Men tremble not at their condition; nay, they like their condition well enough, John 3.19. Men loved darkness. This is their sad condition, till Jesus Christ comes as a Prophet to teach them, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

Branch 4. See the happy condition of the Children of God, they have Christ to be their Prophet, Isa. 54.13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. 1 Cor. 1.30. He is made to us wisdom. One Man cannot see by another's eye; but Believers see with Christ's eyes, in his light they see light: Christ gives them the light of Grace and light of Glory.

Use 2. Labor to have Christ for your Prophet, he teacheth savingly, he is an interpreter of a thousand, he can untie those Knots which puzzle the very Angels; till Christ teach, never learn any Lesson; till Christ is made to us wisdom, we shall never be wise to Salvation.

Quest. What shall we do to have Christ for our Teacher?

Resp. 1. See your need of Christ's Teaching; you cannot see your way without this Morning Star. Some speak much of the Light of Reason improved: Alas! the Plumb-line of Reason is too short to Fathom the deep things of God; the Light of Reason will no more help a Man to believe, then the light of a Candle will help him to understand. A Man can no more by the power of Nature reach Christ, then an Infant can reach the top of the Pyramids, or the Ostridge fly up to the Stars. See your need of Christ's Anointing and Teaching, Rev. 3.18.

2. Go to Christ to teach you, Psal. 25.5. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me. As one of the Disciples said, Lord teach us to pray, Luke 11.1. so, Lord teach me to profit. Do thou light my Lamp, O thou great Prophet of thy Church, give me a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, that I may see things in another manner then ever I saw them before. Teach me in the Word to hear thy Voice, and in the Sacrament to discern thy Body, Psal. 13.3. Lighten mine eyes, &c. Cathedram habet in coelo qui corda docet in terra, Aug. He hath his Pulpit in Heaven who converts Souls. And that we may be encouraged to go to Christ our great Prophet.

1. Jesus Christ is very willing to teach us. Why else did he enter into the Calling of the Ministry? but to teach the Mysteries of Heaven, Matth. 4.23. Jesus went about teaching and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of diseases among the people. Why did he take the Office Prophetical upon him? why was Christ so angry with them that kept away the Key of Knowledge? Luke 11.52. why was Christ anointed with the Spirit without measure, but that he might anoint us with Knowledge. Knowledge is in Christ, as Milk in the Breast for the Child. O then go to Christ to Teach! None in the Gospel came to Christ for sight, but he restored their eye-sight. And sure Christ is more willing to work a cure upon a blind Soul, than ever he was upon a blind Body.

2. There are none so dull and ignorant, but Christ can teach them. Everyone is not fit to make a Philosophers Scholar of, Ex omni ligno non fit Mercurius ; but there is none so dull but Christ can make a good Scholar of such as are ignorant, and of low parts. Christ teacheth them in such a manner, that they know more then the great Sages and Wisemen of the World. Hence that saying of St. Augustine, Surgunt indocti & rapiunt coelum, the unlearned Men rise up and take Heaven; they know the Truths of Christ more savingly then the great admired Rabbies. The duller the Scholar, the more is his skill seen that teacheth. Hence it is, Christ delights in teaching the Ignorant, to get himself more Glory, Isa. 35.5. The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Who would go to teach a blind, or a deaf Man? yet such dull Scholars Christ teacheth. Such as are blinded with Ignorance, they shall see the Mysteries of the Gospel, and the deaf Ears shall be unstopped.

3. Wait upon the Means of Grace which Christ hath appointed. Though Christ teacheth by his Spirit, yet he teacheth in the use of Ordinances. Wait at the Gates of Wisdoms door; Ministers are Teachers under Christ, Eph. 4.11. Pastors and Teachers. We read of Pitchers, and Lamps within the Pitchers, Judges 7.16. Ministers are Earthen Vessels, but these Pitchers have Lamps within them to light Souls to Heaven. Christ is said to speak to us from Heaven now, Hebr. 12.25. viz. by his Ministers, as the King speaks by his Ambassador. Such as wean themselves from the Breast of Ordinances, seldom thrive; either they grow light in their Head, or lame in their Feet. The Word preached is Christ's Voice in the Mouth of the Minister; and they that refuse to hear Christ speaking in the Ministry, Christ will refuse to hear them speaking on their Death-bed.

4. If you would have the Teachings of Christ, walk according to that Knowledge which you have already. Use your little knowledge well, and Christ will teach you more, John 7.17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of my Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. A Master seeing his Servant improve a little Stock well, gives him more to trade with.

Use 3. If you have been taught by Christ savingly, be thankful: It is your Honor to have GOD for your Teacher; and that he should teach you, and not others, is matter of admiration and gratulation. O how many knowing men are ignorant! They are not taught of God; they have CHRIST's Word to enlighten them, but not his Spirit to sanctify them. But, that you should have the Inward, as well as the Outward Teaching, that Christ should anoint you with the Heavenly Unction of his Spirit, that you can say, as he John 9.25. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, I now see ; O! how thankful should you be to Christ, who hath revealed his Father's Bosom Secrets unto you, John 1.18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. If Alexander thought himself so much obliged to Aristotle, for the Philosophical Instructions he learned from him: O how are we bound to Jesus Christ, this great Prophet, for opening to us the Eternal Purposes of his Love, and revealing to us the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.

CHRIST's Priestly Office.

Quest. XV. HOw doth Christ execute the Office of a Priest?

Resp. In his once offering up of himself a Sacrifice to satisfy Divine Justice, and reconcile us to GOD, and in making continual Intercession for us.

Heb. 9.26. Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin ; by the Sacrifice of himself.

Quest. What are the parts of Christ's Priestly Office?

Resp. Christ's Priestly Office hath two Parts, his Satisfaction and Intercession.

1. His SATISFACTION, and this consists of two Branches: 1. His Active Obedience, Matth. 3.15. He fulfill • d all righteousness. Christ did everything which the Law required; his holy Life was a Perfect Commentary upon the Law of God; and he obeyed the Law for us.

2. His Passive Obedience: Our Guilt being transferred and imputed to him, he did undergo the Penalty which was due to us: He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. The Paschal Lamb slain, was a Type of Christ who was offered up in Sacrifice for us. Sin could not be done away without Blood, Heb. 9.22. Without blood is no remission. Christ was not only a Lamb without spot, but a Lamb slain.

Quest. Why was it require there should be a Priest?

Resp. There needed a Priest to be an Umpire, to mediate between a Guilty Creature, and an Holy God.

Quest. How could Christ suffer being God?

Resp. Christ suffered only in the Human Nature.

Quest. But if only Christ's Humanity suffered, how could his suffering satisfy for Sin?

Resp. The Human Nature being united to the Divine, the Human Nature did suffer, the Divine did satisfy: Christ's Godhead as it did support the Human Nature that it did not faint, so it did give Virtue to his Sufferings. The Altar sanctifies the thing offered on it, Matth. 23.19. so the Altar of Christ's Divine Nature sanctified the Sacrifice of his Death, and made it of infinite value.

Quest. Wherein doth the Greatness of Christ's sufferings appear?

Resp. In the Sufferings of his Body, he suffered truly, not only a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an Appearance; the Apostle calls it Mors Crucis, The Death of the Cross, Phil. 2.8. Tully when he speaks of this kind of Death, Quid dicam in crucem toilere? though he were a great Orator, he wanted words to express it. The thoughts of this made Christ sweat drops of Blood in the Garden, Luke 22.44. It was an ignominious, painful, cursed Death; Christ suffered in all his Senses, 1. In his Eyes, they beheld two sad Objects, he saw his Enemies insulting, and his Mother weeping. 2. In his Ears, his Ears were filled with the Revilings of the People, Matth. 27.42. He saved others, himself he cannot save. 3. In his Smell, when their Drivel fell upon his Face. 4. In his Taste, when they gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink, Bitterness and Sharpness. 5. In his Feeling, his Head suffered with Thorns, his Hands and Feet with the Nails, — Totum pro vulnere Corpus ; Now was this white Lily died of a Purple color. 2. In the Sufferings of his Soul, he was pressed in the Wine-press of his Father's Wrath. This caused that Vociferation and Outcry on the Cross, My God, my God; Cur deseruisti? Christ suffered a double Eclipse upon the Cross, an Eclipse of the Sun, and an Eclipse of the Light of God's Countenance. How bitter was this Agony? The Evangelist useth three words to express it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He began to be amazed, Mark 14.33. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He began to faint. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , To be exceeding sorrowful, Matth. 26.37. Christ felt the Pains of Hell in his Soul, though not locally, yet equivalently.

Quest. Why did Christ suffer?

Resp. Surely not for any desert of his own, Dan. 9.26. The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself ; it was for us, Isa. 53.6. Unus peccat alius plectitor ; He suffered that he might satisfy God's Justice for us. We by our Sins had infinitely wronged God, and could we have shed Rivers of Tears, offered up Millions of Holocausts and Burnt-Offerings, we could never have pacified an angry Deity; therefore Christ must die that God's Justice might be satisfied.

It is hotly debated among Divines, Whether God could not have forgiven Sin freely without a Sacrifice? Not to dispute what God could have done, but when we consider God was resolved to have the Law satisfied, and to have Man in a way of Justice as well as Mercy; then, I say, it was necessary that Christ should lay down his Life as a Sacrifice:

1. To fulfil the Predictions of Scripture, Luke 24.46. Thus it behooved Christ to suffer.

2. To bring us into Favor with God: 'It is one thing for a Traitor to be pardoned, and another thing to be made a Favorite. Christ's Blood is not only called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Sacrifice whereby God is appeased, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Propitiation whereby God becomes gracious and friendly to us. Christ is our Mercy-seat from which God gives Answers of Peace to us.

3. Christ died that he might make good his last Will and Testament with his Blood: There were many Legacies which Christ bequeathed to Believers, which had been all null and void had not he died, and by his Death confirmed the Will, Heb. 9.17. A Testament is in force after Men are dead: The Mission of Spirit, the Promises, those Legacies, were not in force till Christ's Death; but Christ by his Blood hath sealed them, and Believers may lay claim to them.

4. He died that he might purchase for us Glorious Mansions: Therefore Heaven is called not only a promised, but a purchased Possession, Eph. 1.14. Christ died for our Preferment; He suffered that we might reign ; he hung upon the Cross, that we might fit upon the Throne; Heaven was shut, &c. Crux Christi clavis Paradisi: The Cross of Christ is the Ladder by which we ascend to Heaven. His Crucifixion is our Coronation.

Use 1. In the Bloody Sacrifice of Christ, see the horrid Nature of Sin: Sin (it is true) is odious as it banished Adam out of Paradise, and threw the Angels into Hell, but that which doth most of all make it appear Horrid, is this, it made Christ veil his Glory and loose his Blood. We should look upon Sin with Indignation, and pursue it with an Holy Malice, and shed the Blood of those Sins shed Christ's Blood. The sight of Caesar 's Bloody Robe incensed the Romans against them that slew him: The sight of Christ's bleeding Body should incense us against Sin; let us not parly with it, let not that be our Joy which made Christ a Man of Sorrow.

Use 2. Is Christ our Priest sacrificed, see God's Mercy and Justice displayed: I may say as the Apostle, Rom. 11.27. Behold the goodness and severity of God: 1. The Goodness of God in providing a Sacrifice. Had not Christ suffered on the Cross, we must have lain in Hell forever satisfying God's Justice.

2. The Severity of God: Though it were his own Son, the Son of his Love, and our Sins were but imputed to him, yet God did not spare him, Rom. 8.32. but his Wrath did flame against him. And if God were thus severe to his own Son, how dreadful will he be one day to his Enemies? Such as die in willful Impenitency must feel the same Wrath as Christ did; and because they cannot bear it at once, therefore they must be enduring it forever.

Use 3. Is Christ our Priest who was sacrificed for us, then see the endeared Affection of Christ to us Sinners: The Cross (saith Austin) was a Pulpit in which Christ preached his Love to the World. That Christ should die was more then if all the Angels had been turned to Dust: And that Christ should die as a Malefactor, having the weight of all Men's Sins laid upon him: That he should die for his Enemies, Rom. 5.10. The Balm-tree weeps out its precious Balm to heal those that cut and mangle it; Christ shed his Blood to heal those that crucified him. And that he should die freely ; it is called the Offering of the Body of Jesus, Heb. 10.10. And though his Sufferings were so great that they made him sigh, and weep, and bleed, yet they could not make him Repent, Isa. 53.11. He shall see of the travel of his soul, and be satisfied. Christ had hard travel upon the Cross, yet he doth not repent of it, but thinks his Sweat and Blood well bestowed, because he sees Redemption brought forth to the World. O infinite amazing Love of Christ! a Love that passeth Knowledge! Eph. 3.19. That neither Man or Angel can parallel. How should we be affected with this Love, if Saul was so affected with David 's Kindness in sparing his Life? How should we be affected with Christ's Kindness in parting with his Life for us? At Christ's Death and Passion the very Stones did cleave asunder, Matth. 27.5. The rocks rent. Not to be affected with Christ's Love in dying, is to have Hearts harder then the Rocks.

Use 4. Is Christ our Sacrifice? then see the Excellency of this Sacrifice: 1. It is perfect, Heb. 10.14. By one offering he hath perfected them that are sanctified. Therefore how impious are the Papists in joining their Merits, and the Prayers of Saints with Christ's Sacrifice. They offer him up daily in the Mass, as if Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross were imperfect; this is a Blasphemy against Christ's Priestly Office.

2. Christ's Sacrifice is meritorious, he not only died for our Example, but to merit Salvation: The Person who suffered being God as well as Man, did put Virtue into his Sufferings; and now our sins are expiated, and God appeased. No sooner did the Messengers say, Uriah is dead ; but David 's Anger was pacified, 2 Sam. 11.21. No sooner did Christ die but God's Anger is pacified.

3. This Sacrifice is beneficial; out of the dead Lyon Sampson had Honey; it procures Justification of our Persons, Acceptance of our Services, Access to God with Boldness, Entrance into the Holy Place of Heaven, Heb. 10.19. Per latus Christi pa • escit nobis in coelum. Israel passed through the Red Sea to Canaan ; so through the Red Sea of Christ's Blood we enter into the Heavenly Canaan.

2. Use of Exhortation: Branch 1. Let us fiducially apply this Blood of Christ: All the Virtue of a Medicine is in the applying; though the Medicine be made of the Blood of God, it will not heal unless by Faith applied. As Fire is to the Chymist, so is Faith to a Christian; the Chymist can do nothing without Fire, so there is nothing done without Faith. Faith makes Christ's Sacrifice ours, Phil. 3.8 Christ Jesus my Lord. It is not Gold in the Mine enricheth, but Gold in the Hand: Faith is the Hand receives Christ's Golden Merits. It is not a Cordial in the Glass refresheth the Spirits, but a Cordial drunk down. Per fidem Christi sanguinem sugimus, Cypr. Faith opens the Orifice of Christ's Wound • , and drinks the precious Cordial of his Blood. Without Faith Christ himself will not avail us.

Branch 2. Let us love a Bleeding Savior, and let us show our Love to Christ by being ready to suffer for him: Many rejoice at Christ's Suffering for them, but dream not of their Suffering for him: Joseph dreamed of his Preferment, but not of his Imprisonment. Was Christ a Sacrifice? Did he bear God's Wrath for us? we should bear Man's Wrath for him. Christ's Death was voluntary, Psal. 40.7. Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. Luke 12.50. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished. Christ calls his Sufferings a Baptism: he was to be (as it were) baptized in his own Blood; And how did he thirst for that time▪ How am I straitened! Oh then let us be willing to suffer for Christ! Christ hath taken away the Venom and Sting of the Saint's Sufferings: there is no Wrath in their Cup. Our Sufferings Christ can make sweet. As there was Oil mixed in the Peace-Offering: So▪ God can mix the Oil of Gladness with our Sufferings. The ringing of my Chain is sweet Music in my Ears, Landgrave of Hesse. Life must be parted with shortly, what is it to part with it a little sooner, as a Sacrifice to Christ, as a Seal of our Sincerity, and a Pledge of Thankfulness.

3. Use of Consolation: This Sacrifice of Christ's Blood may infinitely comfort us. This is the Blood of Atonement ; Christ's Cross is, Cardo salutis, Calv. The Hing and Foundation of our Comfort. 1. This Blood comforts in case of Guilt: O saith the Soul, my sins trouble me; why, Christ's Blood was shed for the Remission of Sin, Mat. 26.28. Let us see our sins laid on Christ, and then they are no more ours but his.

2. In case of Pollution: Christ's Blood is an healing and cleansing Blood: 1. It is healing, Isa. 53.5. With his stripes we are healed. It is the best Weapon-Salve, it heals at a distance: though Christ be in Heaven, we may feel the Virtue of his Blood healing our bloody Issue. 2. And it is cleansing: 'It is therefore compared to Fountain-water, Zec. 13.1. The Word is a Glass to show us our Spots, and Christ's Blood is a Fountain to wash them away; it turns Leprosy into Purity: 1 Joh. 1.7. The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all our sin. There is indeed one Spot so black that Christ's Blood doth not wash away, viz. The Sin against the Holy Ghost.—Not but that there is Virtue enough in Christ's Blood to wash it away; but he who hath sinned that Sin, will not be washed, he contemns Christ's Blood, and tramples it underfoot, Heb. 10.29. Thus we see what a strong Cordial Christ's Blood is, it is the Anchorhold of our Faith, the Spring of our Joy, the Crown of our Desires, and the only Support both in Life and Death. In all our Fears let us comfort ourselves with the Propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ's Blood: Christ died both as a Purchaser and as a Conqueror: 1. As a Purchaser in regard of God, having by his Blood obtained our Salvation. 2. And as a Conqueror in regard of Satan, the Cross being his Triumphant Chariot, whe • ein he hath led Hell and Death captive.

Use ult. Bless God for this precious Sacrifice of Christ's Death, Psal. 103.1. Bless the Lord, O my soul. And for what doth David bless him? Who redeemeth thy life from destruction. Christ gave himself a Sin-offering for us, let us give ourselves a Thank-offering to him. If a Man redeem another out of Debt, will not he be grateful? How deeply do we stand obliged to Christ, who hath redeemed us from Hell and Damnation, Rev. 5.9. And they sung a new Song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and open the Seals, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood. Let our Hearts and Tongues join in consort to bless God, and let us show our Thankfulness to Christ by Fruitfulness; let us bring forth (as Spice-Trees) the Fruits of Humility, Zeal, Good-works. This is to live unto him, who hath died for us, 2 Cor. 5.15. The Wise-men did not only worship Christ, but presented him with Gifts, Gold, and Frankincense, and Myrrh, Matth. 2.11. Let us present Christ with the Fruits of Righteousness, which are unto the Glory and Praise of God.

CHRIST's Intercession.

WHen Aaron entered into the Holy Place, his Bells gave a Sound; so Christ having entered into Heaven, his Intercession makes a melodious sound in the Ears of God. Christ, though he be exalted to Glory, hath not laid aside his Bowels of Compassion, but is still mindful of his Body Mystical; as Joseph was mindful of his Father and Brethren, when he was exalted to the Court. Who also maketh Intercession for us. —To Intercede is to make Request in the behalf of another. Christ is the great Master of Requests in Heaven; Christus est Catholicus Patris Sacerdos, Tertul.

Quest. What are the Qualifications of our Intercessor?

Resp. 1. He is holy, Hebr. 7.26. For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, undefiled, separate from sinners. Christ knew no sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. he knew sin in the weight, not in the act. It was requisite that he who was to do away the sins of others, should himself be without sin. Holiness is one of the precious Stones which shines on the Breast-Plate of our High Priest.

2. He is faithful, Hebr. 2.17. It behooved him to be like unto his brethren, that he might be a faithful High Priest. Moses was faithful as a Servant, Christ as a Son, Hebr. 3.5. he doth not forget any Cause he hath to plead, nor doth he use any deceit in pleading. An ordinary Attorney may either leave out some word which might make for the Client, or put in a word against him, having received a Fee on both sides; but Christ is true to the Cause he pleads; we may leave our Matters with him, we may trust our Lives and Souls in his hand.

3. He never dies. The Priests under the Law, while their Office lived, they themselves died, Hebr. 7.23. They were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but Christ ever lives to make Intercession, Hebr. 7.25. He hath no Succession in his Priesthood.

Quest. Who Christ intercedes for?

Resp. Not for all promiscuously, John 17.9. but for the Elect. The efficacy of Christ's Prayer reacheth no further then the efficacy of his Blood; but his Blood was shed only for the Elect, therefore his Prayers only reach them. The High Priest went into the Sanctuary with the Names only of the Twelve Tribes upon his Breast; so Christ goes into Heaven only with the Names of the Elect upon his Breast. Christ intercedes for the weakest Believers, John 17.20. and for all the sins of Believers. In the Law there were some sins the High Priest was neither to offer Sacrifice for, nor yet to offer Prayer, Numb. 15.30. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously shall be cut off. The Priest might offer up Prayer for sins of Ignorance, but not of Presumption: but Christ's Intercession extends to all the sins of the Elect. Of what a bloody color was David 's sin, yet it did not exclude Christ's Intercession.

Quest. What doth Christ in the Work of Intercession?

Resp. Three things.

1. He presents the Merit of his Blood to his Father, and in the Virtue of that Price paid, pleads for Mercy. The High Priest was herein a lively Type of Christ; Aaron was to do four things: 1. Kill the Beast; 2. to enter with the Blood into the Holy of Holies; 3. to sprinkle the Mercy Seat with the Blood; 4. to kindle the Incense, and with the smoke of it cause a Cloud to arise over the Mercy Seat, and so the Atonement was made, Lev. 16.11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Christ our High Priest did exactly answer to this Type; He was offered up in Sacrifice, that Answers to the Priests killing the Bullock: And Christ is gone up into Heaven, that Answers to to the Priests going into the Holy of Holies: And he spreads his Blood before his Father, that Answers to the Priests sprinkling the Blood upon the Mercy Seat. And he prays to his Father, that for his Blood sake he would be propitious to Sinners, that Answers to the Cloud of Incense going up: And through his Intercession God is pacified, that Answers to the Priests making Atonement.

2. Christ by his Intercession answers all Bills of Indictment brought in against the Elect. Believers do what they can; Sin, and then Satan accuseth them to God, and Conscience accuseth them to themselves, now, Christ by his Intercession answers all these Accusations, Rom. 8.33. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's Elect? it is Christ who makes Intercession for us. When Aesculus was accused for some Impiety, his Brother stood up for him, and shown the Magistrates how he had lost his hand in the Service of the State, and so obtained his pardon. Thus when Satan accuseth the Saints, or the Justice of God lays anything to their charge, Christ shows his own wounds, and by Virtue of his bloody Sufferings, he answers all the Demands and Challenges of the Law, and counter-works Satan's Accusations.

3. Christ by his Intercession calls for an Acquittance; Lord, let the sinner be absolved from guilt; and in this sense Christ is called an Advocate, 1 John 2.1. He requires that the Sinner be set free in the Court. An Advocate differs much from an Orator; an Orator useth Rhetoric to persuade and entreat the Judge to show Mercy to another: but an Advocate tells the Judge what is Law: thus Christ appears in Heaven as an Advocate, he represents what is Law. When God's Justice opens the Debt-Book, Christ opens the Law-Book: Lord, saith he, thou art a just God, and will not be pacified without Blood, lo here, the Blood is shed, therefore in Justice give me a Discharge for these distressed Creatures. 'It is equal that the Law being satisfied, the Sinner should be acquitted. And upon Christ's Plea, God sets his hand to the Sinner's Pardon.

Quest. In what manner Christ intercedes?

Answ. 1. Freely ; he pleads our Cause in Heaven, and takes no Fee. An ordinary Lawyer will have his Fee, and sometimes a Bribe too; but Christ is not Mercenary: How many Causes doth he plead every day in Heaven, and will take nothing. As Christ laid down his Life freely, John 10.15, 18. so he intercedes freely.

2. Feelingly ; He is sensible of our condition as his own; Hebr. 4.15. We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmity. As a tender hearted Mother would plead with a Judge for a Child ready to be condemned; O how would her Bowels work, how would her Tears trickle down, what weeping Rhetoric would she use to the Judge for Mercy. Thus the Lord Jesus is full of Sympathy and Tenderness, Hebr. 2.17. that he might be a merciful High Priest. Though he hath left his Passion, yet not his Compassion. An ordinary Lawyer is not affected with the Cause he pleads, nor doth he care which way it goes. It is Profit makes him plead, not Affection. But Christ intercedes feelingly; and that which makes him intercede with Affection, is, it is his own Cause which he pleads. He hath shed his Blood to purchase Life and Salvation for the Elect, and if they should not be saved, he would lose his purchase.

3. Efficaciously. It is a prevailing Intercession. Christ never lost any Cause he pleaded, he was never Non-suited. Christ's Intercession must needs be effectual, if you consider,

(1.) The Excellency of his Person; if the Prayer of a Saint be so prevalent with God: Moses 's Prayer did bind God's hands, Exod. 32.10. Let me alone: and Jacob as a Prince prevailed with God, Gen. 32.28. and Elijah did by Prayer open and shut Heaven, I am. 5.17. Then what is Christ's Prayer? He is the Son of God, the Son in whom he is well pleased, Matth. 3.17. What will not a Father grant his Son? John 11.42. I know that thou always hearest me. If God could forget, that Christ were a Priest, yet he cannot forget that he is a Son.

(2.) Christ prays for nothing but what his Father hath a mind to grant. There is but One Will between Christ and his Father: Christ prays, Sanctify them through thy Truth ; and this is the will of God, even your sanctification, 1 Thess. 4.3. so then, if Christ prays for nothing, but what God the Father hath a mind to grant, then he is like to speed.

(3.) Christ prays for nothing but what he hath power to give. What he prays for as he is Man, that he hath power to give as he is God, John 17.24. Father, I will—Father, there he prays as Man; I will, there he gives as God. This is a great comfort to a Believer, when his Prayer is weak, and he can hardly pray for himself, Christ's Prayer in Heaven is mighty and powerful▪ Though God may refuse Prayer as it comes from us, yet not as it comes from Christ.

4. Christ's Intercession is always ready at hand. The People of God have sins of daily incursion; and besides these, sometimes they lapse into great sins, and God is provoked, and his Justice is ready to break forth upon them; but Christ's Intercession is ready at hand, he daily makes up the Breaches between God and them; he presents the Merit of his Blood to his Father to pacify him. When the Wrath of God began to break out upon Israel, Aaron presently step'd in with his Censer, and offered Incense, and so the Plague was staid, Numb. 16.47. so no sooner doth a Child of God offend, and God begins to be angry, but immediately Christ steps in and intercedes; Father, it is my Child hath offended, though he hath forgotten his Duty, thou hast not lost thy Bowels: O pity him, and let thy Anger be turned away from him. Christ's Intercession is ready at hand, and upon the least failings of the Godly, he stands up and makes Request for them in Heaven.

Quest. What are the Fruits of Christ's Intercession?

Resp. 1. Justification. In Justification there is two things; 1. Guilt is remitted, 2. Righteousness is imputed, Ier. 23.6. The Lord our Righteousness. We are reputed not only Righteous, as the Angels, but as Christ, having his Robes put upon us, 2 Cor. 5.21. But whence is it that we are justified? 'It is from Christ's Intercession, Rom. 8.33, 34. Lord, saith Christ, these are the Persons I have died for, look upon them as if they had not sinned, and repute them Righteous.

2 d Fruit. The Unction of the Spirit, 1 John 2.20. Ye have an Unction from the holy one. This Unction or Anointing is nothing else but the Work of Sanctification in the heart, whereby the Spirit makes us partake of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Such as speak of the Philosophers Stone, suppose it to have such a Property that when it toucheth the Mettal, it turns it into Gold; such a Property hath the Spirit of God upon the Soul, when it toucheth the Soul, it puts into it a Divine Nature, it makes it to be holy, and to resemble God. This sanctifying work of the Spirit, is the fruit of Christ's Intercession, John 7.39. The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Christ being glorified and in Heaven, now ▪ he prays the Father▪ and the Father sends the Spirit, who pours out the holy Anointing upon the Elect.

3 d Fruit. The Purification of our holy Things. It is Christ's work in Heaven, not only to present his own Prayers to his Father, but he prays over our Prayers again, Rev. 8.3. Another Angel came, having a golden Censer, and there was given to him much Incense, that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar. This Angel was Christ; he takes the golden Censer of his Merits, and puts our Prayers into this Censer, and with the Incense of his Intercession makes our Prayers go up as a sweet perfume in Heaven. It is observable, Lev. 16.16. Aaron shall make Atonement for the holy Place: this was Typical, to show that our holy Duties need to have Atonement made for them. Our best Services, as they come from us, are mixed with Corruption, as Wine that tastes of the Cask, Isa. 64.6. they are filthy rags: But Christ purifies and sweetens these Services, mixing the sweet odors of his Intercession with them, and now God accepts and Crowns them. What would become of our Duties without an High Priest? Christ's Intercession doth, to our Prayers, as the Fan to the Chaff, it winnows it from the Corn; so Christ winnows out the Chaff which intermixeth with our Prayers.

4 th Fruit. Access with boldness unto the Throne of Grace, Hebr. 4.16. We have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens, let us go. Come boldly to the Throne of Grace, we have a Friend at Court that speaks a good word for us, and is following our Cause in Heaven, therefore let this animate and encourage us in Prayer. We think it too much boldness; what? such Sinners as we to come for pardon, we shall be denied: this is a sinful modesty. Did we indeed come in our own Name in Prayer, it were presumption, but Christ intercedes for us in the forc • and efficacy of his Blood, now, to be afraid to come to God in Prayer, is a dishonor to Christ's Intercession.

5 th Fruit. The sending the Comforter, John 14.16. I will pray the Father, and • e will give you another Comforter. The Comfort of the Spirit is distinct from the Anointing; this Comfort is very sweet, sweeter than the Honey drops from the Comb; it is the Manna in the Golden Pot, it is Vinum in pectore ; a drop of this heavenly Comfort, is enough to sweeten a Sea of worldly Sorrow. It is called arrhabo ▪ the earnest of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 1.22. an Earnest assures one of the whole Sum. The Spirit gives an Earnest of Heaven in our Hand, whence is this comforting work of the Spirit? Thank Christ's Intercession for it. I will pray the Father, and he shall send the Comforter.

6 th Fruit. Perseverance in Grace, John 17.11. Keep through thy own Name those which thou hast given me. It is not our prayer, or watchfulness, or grace that keeps us, but it is God's care and manu-tenancy, he holds us that we do not fall away; and, whence is it God preserves us? it is from Christ's Intercession, Father, keep them. That Prayer of Christ for Peter, is the Copy of his Prayer now in Heaven, Luke 22.32. I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Peter 's Faith did fail in some degree, when he denied Christ, but Christ prayed that it might not totally fail. The Saints persevere in believing, because Christ perseveres in praying.

7 th Fruit. Absolution at the Day of Judgment. Christ shall judge the World, John 5.22. God hath committed all Judgment to the Son. Now sure, those that Christ hath so prayed for, he will Absolve when he sits upon the Bench of Judicature. Will Christ condemn those he prays for? Believers are his Spouse, will he condemn his Spouse?

Use 1. Branch 1. See here the Constancy of Christ's Love to the Elect. He did not only die for them, but intercedes for them in Heaven: when Christ hath done dying, he hath not done loving ; he is now at work in Heaven for the Saints; he carries their names on his breast, and will never leave praying till that Prayer be granted, John 17.24. Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.

Branch 2. See whence it is that the Prayers of the Saints are so powerful with God. Jacob, as an Angel, prevailed with God; Moses 's Prayer tied God's hands; Precibus suis tanquam vinculis ligatum tenuit Deum; Let me alone, Exod. 32.10. Whence is this? It is Christ's Prayer in Heaven makes the Saints Prayers so available. Christ's Divine Nature is the Altar on which he offers up our Prayers, and so they prevail. Prayer, as it comes from the Saints, is but weak and languid; but when the Arrow of a Saint's Prayer is put into the Bow of Christ's Intercession, now it pierceth the Throne of Grace.

Branch 3. It shows where a Christian must chiefly fix his Eye when he comes to prayer, viz. on Christ's Intercession. We are to look up to the Mercy-seat, but to hope for Mercy through Christ's Intercession. We read Levite. 6. That Aaron made the Atonement as well by the Incense as the Blood. We must look to the Cloud of Incense, viz. the Intercession of Christ. Christian, Look up to thy Advocate, one that God can deny nothing to: A word from Christ's Mouth is more then if all the Angels in Heaven were interceding for thee. If a Man had a Suit depending in the Court of Chancery, and had a skillful Lawyer to plead, this would much encourage him. Christ is now at the Court appearing for us, Heb. 9.24. and he hath great Potency in Heaven; this should much encourage us to look up to him, and hope for Audience in Prayer. We might indeed be afraid to present our Petitions, if we had not Christ to deliver them.

Branch 4. The sad Condition of an Unbeliever, he hath none in Heaven to speak a word for him, Joh. 17.9. I pray not for the world. As good be shut out of Heaven, as be shut out of Christ's Prayer. Christ pleads for the Saints, as Queen Esther did for the Jews, when they should have been destroyed, Let my people be given me at my request, Esth. 7.3. When the Devil shows the Blackness of their Sins, Christ shows the Redness of his Wounds. But how sad is the Condition of that Man Christ will not pray for? Nay, that he will pray against? As Queen Esther petitioned against Haman, and then his Face was covered, Esth. 7.6. and he was led away to Execution. 'It is sad when the Law shall be against the Sinner, and Conscience, and Judge, and no Friend to speak a word for him: There's no way then but Jailor take the Prisoner.

Branch 5. If Christ makes Intercession, then we have nothing to do with other Intercessors. The Church of Rome distinguisheth between Mediators of Redemption and Intercession, and say, The Angels do not redeem us, but intercede for us, and pray to them. But Christ only can intercede for us Ex Officio. God hath consecrated him an High Priest, Heb. 5.6. Thou art a priest forever. Christ intercedes Vi pretii, in the Virtue of his Blood, he pleads his Merits to his Father; the Angels have no Merits to bring to God, therefore can be no Intercessors for us: Whoever is our Advocate, must be our Propitiation to pacify God, 1 Joh. 2.1. We have an advocate with the Father. Verse 2. And he is our propitiation. The Angels cannot be our Propitiation, ergo, not our Advocates.

2. Use of Trial: How shall we know that Christ intercedes for us? They have little ground to think Christ prays for them, who never pray for themselves. Well, but how shall we know?

Resp. 1. If Christ be praying for us, then his Spirit is praying in us, Gal. 4.6. He hath sent forth his spirit into your heart, crying, Abba Father. And, Rom. 8.26. the Spirit helps us with Sighs and Groans; not only with Gifts but Groans. We need not climb up into the Firmament to see if the Sun be there, we may see the Beauty of it upon the Earth: so we need not go up into Heaven to see if Christ be there interceding for us; let us look into our Hearts, if they are quickened and inflamed in Prayer, and we can cry, Abba Father, by this interceding of the Spirit within us, we may know Christ is interceding above for us.

Resp. 2. If we are given to Christ, then he intercedes for us, Joh. 17.9. I pray for them whom thou hast given me. 'It is one thing for Christ to be given to us, another for us to be given to Christ.

Quest. How know you that?

Resp. 3. If thou art a Believer, then thou art one given to Christ, and he prays for thee. Faith is an Act of Recumbency, we do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , rest on Christ, as the Stones in the Building rest upon the Corner-stone. Faith throws itself into Christ's Arms; it saith, Christ is my Priest, his Blood is my Sacrifice, his Divine Nature is my Altar, and here I rest. This Faith is seen by the Effects of it, a refining Work and a resigning Work; it purifies the Heart, there is the refining Work; it makes a Deed of Gift to Christ, it gives up its Use, its Love to him, 1 Cor. 6.19. There is the resigning Work of Faith. These that believe are given to Christ, and have a part in his Prayer, Joh. 17.20. Nor do I pray for these alone, but for all them that shall believe on me.

3. Use of Exhortation. Branch 1. It stirs us up to several Duties, 1. If Christ appears for us in Heaven, then we must appear for him upon Earth: Christ is not ashamed to carry our Names on his Breast, and shall we be ashamed of his Truth? Doth he plead our Cause, and shall not we stand up in his Cause? What a mighty Argument is this to stand up for the Honor of Christ in Times of Apostasy; Christ is interceding for us. Doth he present our Names in Heaven, and shall not we profess his Name on Earth?

Branch 2. If Christ lays out all his Interest for us at the Throne of Grace, we must lay out all our Interest for him: Phil. 1.20. That Christ may be magnified. Trade your Talents for Christ's Glory, there's no Man but hath some Talent to trade, one parts another Estate; Oh trade for Christ's Glory! spend and be spent for him. Let your Head study for Christ, your Hands work for Christ, your Tongue speak for him: If Christ be an Advocate for us in Heaven, we must be Factors for him on Earth; everyone in his Sphere must act vigorously for Christ.

Branch 3. Believe in this glorious Intercession of Christ! that he now intercedes for us, and that for his sake God will accept us. In the Text, Who maketh Intercession for us. If we believe not, we dishonor Christ's Intercession. If a poor Sinner may not go to Christ as his High Priest, believing in his Intercession, then are we Christians in a worse Condition under the Gospel, then the Jews were under the Law: they when they had sin'd had their High Priest to make Atonement, and shall not we have our High Priest? Is not Christ our Aaron, who presents his Blood and Incense before the Mercy-seat? O look up by Faith to Christ's Intercession! Christ did not only pray for his Disciples and Apostles, but for the weakest Believer.

Branch 4. Love your Intercessor, 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathama. Kindness invites Love; had you a Friend at Court, who when you were questioned for Delinquency or Debt, should plead with the Judge for you, and bring you off your Troubles, would not you love that Friend? So it is here; how oft doth Satan put in his Bills against us in the Court, now Christ is at the Judge's hand, he sits at his Father's right hand ever to plead for us, and to make our Peace with God: O how should our Hearts be fired with Love to Christ! Love him with a sincere and superlative Love, above Estate, Relations; Bern. Plusquam tua, tuos ; and our Fire of Love should be as the Fire on the Altar, never to go out, Lev. 6.13.

4. Use of Comfort to Believers: Christ is at work for you in Heaven, he makes Intercession for you. Oh but I am afraid Christ doth not intercede for me?

Quest. I am a Sinner; who doth Christ intercede for?

Resp. Isa. 53.12. He made intercession for the transgressors. Did Christ open his sides for thee, and will he not open his mouth to plead for thee?

Quest. But I have offended my High Priest by distrusting his Blood, abusing his Love, grieving his Spirit, and will he ever pray for me?

Resp. Which of us may not say so? But, Christian, dost thou mourn for Unbelief? be not discouraged, thou mayest have a part in Christ's Prayer: Numb. 16. The congregation murmured against Aaron ; yet though they had sin'd against their High Priest, Verse 46. Aaron run in with his censer, and stood between the dead and the living. If so much Bowels in Aaron who was but a Type of Christ, how much more Bowels is in Christ, who will pray for them who have sin'd against their High Priest? Did not he pray for them that crucified him, Father forgive them?

Quest. But I am unworthy, what am I that Christ should intercede for me?

Resp. The Work of Christ's Intercession is a Work of Free-grace; Christ's praying for us is from his pitying of us. Christ looks not at our Worthiness, but our Wants.

Quest. But I am followed with sad Temptations?

Resp. But though Satan tempts, Christ prays, and Satan shall be vanquished: though' thou mayest loose a single Battle, yet not the Victory. Christ prays that thy Faith fail not ; therefore Christian say, Why art thou cast down, O my Soul? Christ intercedes, 'tis Man that sins, 'tis God that prays: The Greek word for Advocate, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Comforter. This is a Sovereign Comfort, Christ makes Intercession.

CHRIST's Kingly Office.

Quest. XVI. HOw doth Christ execute the Office of a King?

Resp. In subduing us to himself, and in restraining and conquering his and our Enemies.

Now of CHRIST's Regal Office, Revel. 19.16. And he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Jesus Christ is of mighty Renown, he is a King; he hath a Kingly Title, High and mighty, Isa. 57.15. 2. He hath his Insignia Regalia, his Ensigns of Royalty, Corona est insigne Regiae potestatis ; His Crown, Rev. 6.2. His Sword, Psal. 45.3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh. His Scepter, Heb. 1.8. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. 3. His Escotcheon, or Coat-Armor, he gives the Lyon in his Arms, Rev. 5.5. The lion of the tribe of Judah. And he is, the Text saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , King of Kings. He hath a Preeminence of all other Kings, he is called the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, Rev. 1.5. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 —He must needs be so, for by him Kings reign, Prov. 8.15. They hold their Crowns by immediate Tenure from this Great King. Christ infinitely out-vies all others Princes, he hath the highest Throne, the largest Dominions, and the longest Possession, Heb. 1.8. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. Christ hath many Heirs, but no Successors. Well may he be called King of Kings, for he hath an Unlimited Power ; other Kings their Power is limited, but Christ's Power is unlimited, Psal. 135.6. Whatsoever he pleased, that did he in heaven and earth, and in the seas. Christ's Power is as large as his Will. The Angels take the Oath of Allegiance to him, Heb. 1.6. Let all the angels of God worship him.

Quest. How Christ comes to be King?

Resp. Not by Usurpation, but Legally: Christ holds his Crown by immediate Tenure from Heaven. God the Father hath decreed him to be King, Psal. 2.5, 6. I have set my king upon my holy hill; I will declare the decree. God hath anointed and sealed him to his Regal Office, Joh. 6.27. Him hath God the Father sealed. God hath set the Crown upon his Head.

Quest. In what sense is Christ King?

Resp. Two ways, 1. In reference to his People. And, 2. In reference to his Enemies.

1. In reference to his People: 1. To govern them, it was prophesied of Christ before he was born, Matth. 2.6. And thou Bethlehem art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a governor that shall rule my people Israel. 'It is a vain thing for a King to have a Crown on his Head, unless he have a Scepter in his Hand to rule.

Quest. Where doth Christ Rule?

Resp. His Kingdom is Spiritual: he rules in the Hearts of Men. He sets up his Throne where no other King doth, he rules the Will and Affections, His Power binds the Conscience: he subdues Men's Lusts, Mic. 7.19. He will subdue our iniquities.

Quest. What doth Christ rule by?

Resp. By Law, and by Love: 1. He rules by Law. 'It is one of the Iura Regalia, the Flowers of the Crown, to Enact Laws, Christ as King makes Laws, and by his Laws he Rules: The Law of Faith, Believe in the Lord Jesus ; the Law of Sanctity, 1 Pet. 1.15. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Many would admit Christ to be their Advocate to plead for them, but not their King to rule them.

2. He rules by Love: He is a King full of Mercy and Clemency; as he hath a Scepter in his Hand, so an Olive-branch of Peace in his Mouth. Though he be the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah for Majesty, yet the Lamb of God for Meekness. His Regal Rod hath Honey at the end of it. He sheds abroad his Love into the Hearts of his Subjects; he rules them with Promises as well as Precepts. This makes all his Subjects become Volunteers; they are willing to pay their Allegiance to him, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be a willing people; Plur. Gnam nedabot.

2. Christ is a King to defend his People, as Christ hath a Scepter to rule them, so a Shield to defend them, Psal. 3.3. Thou O Lord art a shield for me. When Antiochus did rage furiously against the Jews, he took away the Vessels of the Lord's House, set up an Idol in the Temple; then this Great King, called Michael, did stand up for them to defend them, Dan. 12.1. Christ preserves his Church as a Spark in the Ocean, as a Flock of Sheep among Wolves. That the Sea should be higher then the Earth, and yet not drown it, is a Wonder: so that the Wicked should be so much higher than the Church in Power, and not devour it, is because Christ hath this Inscription on his Vesture and his Thigh, King of Kings: Ps. 124.2. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side; they had swallowed us up. They say Lions are Insomnes, they have little or no sleep; 'tis true of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, he never slumbers nor sleeps, but watcheth over his Church to defend it: Isa. 27.2, 3. Sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine; I the Lord do keep it least any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. If the Enemies destroy the Church, it must be at a time when it is neither Night nor Day, for Christ keeps it Day and Night. Christ is said to carry his Church as the Eagle her young Ones upon her Wings, Exod. 19.4. The Arrow must first hit the Eagle before it can hurt the young Ones, and shoot through her Wings: the Enemies must first strike through Christ, before they can destroy his Church. Let the Wind and Storms be up, and the Church almost covered with Waves, yet Christ, is in the Ship of the Church, and so long there's no danger of Shipwrack. Nor will Christ only defend his Church as he is King, but deliver it, 2 Tim. 4.17. He delivered me out of the mouth of the lion ; viz. Nero. 2. Chr. 11.14. The Lord saved them by a great deliverance. Sometimes Christ is said to command Deliverance, Psal. 44.4. Sometimes to create Deliverance, Isa. 65.18. Christ as a King commands Deliverance, and as a God creates it. And deliverance shall come in his time: Isa. 60.22. I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

Quest. When is the time that this King will deliver his People?

Resp. When the Hearts of his People are humblest, when their Prayers are ferventest, when their Faith is strongest, when their Forces are weakest, when their Enemies are highest; now is the usual time that Christ puts forth his Kingly Power in their Deliverance, Isa. 33.2, 8, 9.

3. Christ is a King to Reward his People, there's nothing lost by serving this King, 1. He Rewards his Subjects in this Life: 1. He gives them Inward Peace and Joy; a Bunch of Grapes by the way; and oftentimes Riches and Honor. Godliness hath the promise of this life, 1 Tim. 4.8. These are as it were the Saints Vails; but besides, the great Reward is to come, An eternal weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Christ makes all his Subjects Kings, Rev. 2.10. I will give thee a crown of life. This Crown will be full of Jewels, and it will never fade, 1 Pet. 5.5.

2. Christ is a King in reference to his Enemies, in subduing and conquering them: He pulls down their Pride, befools their Policy, restrains their Malice. That Stone cut out of the Mountains without Hands, which smote the Image, Dan. 2.34. was was an Emblem, saith Austin, of Christ's Monarchical Power, conquering and triumphing over his Enemies. Christ will make his Enemies his Footstool, Psal. 110.1 He can destroy them with ease, 2 Chron. 14.11. It is nothing for thee Lord to help. He can do it with weak means, without means. He can make the Enemies destroy themselves; he set the Persians against the Grecians: and 2 Chron. 20.23. the Children of Ammon helped to destroy one another. Thus Christ is King in vanquishing the Enemies of his Church.

This is a great ground of Comfort to the Church of God in the midst of all the Combinations of the Enemy, Christ is King, and he cannot only bound the Enemies power, but break it. The Church hath more with her then against her, she hath Immanuel on her side, even that Great King to whom all Knees must bend.

Christ is called a Man of War, Exod. 15.3. he understands all the Policies of Chivalry; he is described with seven Eyes, and seven Horns, Rev. 5.6. The seven Eyes are to discern the Conspiracies of his Enemies, and the seven Horns are to push and vex his Enemies.

Christ is described with a Crown and a Bow, Rev. 6.2. He that sat on the white Horse had a Bow, and a Crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. A Crown is an Ensign of his Kingly Office, and the Bow is to shoot his Enemies to Death.

Christ is described with a Vesture dipped in Blood, Rev. 19.13. He hath a golden Scepter to Rule his People, but an Iron Rod to break his Enemies. Rev. 17.12, 14. The ten Horns thou sawest are ten Kings, these shall make War with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is King of Kings. The Enemies may set up their Standard, but Christ will set up his Trophies at last. Rev. 14.18, 19. And the Angel gathered the Vine of the Earth, and cast it into the great Wine-press of the Wrath of God, and the Wine-press was trodden, and blood came out of the Wine-press. The Enemies of Christ shall be but as so many Clusters of ripe Grapes to be cast into the great Wine-Press of the Wrath of God, and to be trodden by Christ till their Blood comes out. Christ will at last come off Victor, and all his Enemies shall be put under his Feet: Gaudeo quod Christus dominus est, alioqui desperassem, said Miconius in an Epistle to Calvin. I am glad Christ Reigns, else I should have despaired.—

Use 1. Branch 1. See hence it is no Disparagement to serve Christ, he is a King, and its no Dishonor to be employed in a King's Service. Some are apt to reproach the Saints for their Piety, they serve the Lord Christ, he who hath this Inscription upon his Vesture, KING of KINGS. Theodosius thought it a greater Honor to be a Servant of CHRIST, then the Head of an Empire. Servire est Regnare —Christ's Servants are called Vessels of Honor, 2 Tim. 2.21. And a Royal Nation, 1 Pet. 2.9. Serving of Christ Ennobles us with Dignity: 'It is a greater Honor to serve Christ, then to have Kings serve us.

Branch 2. If Christ be King, it informs us, that all Matters of Fact must one day be brought before him. Christ hath Ius vitae & necis, the Power of Life and Death in his hand, Joh. 5.22. The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son. He who once hung upon the Cross, shall sit upon the Bench of Judicature: Kings must come before him to be judged; they who once sat upon the Throne, must appear at the Bar. God hath committed all Judgment to the Son, and Christ's is the highest Court of Judicature: if this King once condemns Men, there is no Appeal to any other Court.

Branch 3. See whither we are to go when we are foiled by Corruption, go to Christ, he is King, desire him by his Kingly Power, to subdue thy Corruptions, to bind these Kings with Chains, Psal. 149.8. We are apt to say of our Sins, These sons of Zeruiah will be too strong for us ; we shall never overcome this Pride and Infidelity: Aye, but go to Christ, he is King, though our Lusts are too strong for us, yet not for Christ to conquer: he can by his Spirit break the Power of Sin. Joshua when he had conquered five Kings, caused his Servants to set their Feet on the Necks of those Kings; so Christ can and will set his Feet on the Necks of our Lusts.

2. Use of Caution: Is Christ King of Kings? Let all Great Ones take heed how they employ their Power against Christ: Christ gives them their Power, and if this Power shall be made use of for the suppressing of his Kingdom and Ordinances, their account will be heavy. God hath laid the Key of Government upon Christ's shoulders, Isa. 9.7. and to go to oppose Christ in his Kingly Office, it is as if the Thorns should set themselves in Battalia against the Fire, or a Child fight with an Archangel. Christ's Sword on his Thigh is able to avenge all his Quarrels: It is not good to stir a Lion; Let not Men provoke the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, whose Eyes are as a Lamp of fire, and the Rocks are thrown down by him, Nahum 1.6. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes, Psal. 76.12.

Use 3. If Christ be a great King, submit to him. Say not as those Jews, We have no King but Caesar, no King but our Lusts. This is to choose the Bramble to rule over you, and out of the Bramble will come forth a fire, Judge. 9. Submit to Christ willingly ; all the Devils in Hell submit to Christ, but 'tis against their will, they are his Slaves, Not his Subjects. Submit cheerfully to Christ's Person and his Laws. Many would have Christ their Savior, but not their Prince ; such as will not have Christ to be their King to rule them, shall never have his Blood to save them. Obey all Christ's Princely Commands ; if he commands Love, Humility, Good Works, be as the Needle which points which way soever the Load-stone draws.

Branch 2. Let such admire God's Free-grace, who were once under the Power and Tyranny of Satan, and now Christ hath made them of Slaves, to become the Subjects of his Kingdom. Christ did not need Subjects, he hath Legions of Angels ministering to him; but in his Love, he hath honored you, to make you his Subjects. O! how long was it e're Christ could prevail with you to come under his Banner? How much opposition did he meet with, e're you would wear this Prince's Colours? but at last Omnipotent Grace overcame you. When Peter was sleeping between two Soldiers, an Angel came and beat off his Chains, Acts 12.7. So when thou wert sleeping in the Devil's Arms, that Christ should by his Spirit smite thy heart, and cause the Chains of Sin to fall off, and make thee a Subject of his Kingdom: O admire Free-grace! Thou who art a Subject of Christ, art sure to Reign with Christ forever.

Christ's Humiliation in his Incarnation.

Quest. XVII. WHerein did Christ's Humiliation consist?

Resp. In his being born, and that in a low condition, undergoing the Miseries of this Life, the Wrath of God, and the cursed Death of the Cross.

Christ's Humiliation consisted in his Incarnation, his taking Flesh and being Born. It was real Flesh Christ took. Not the Image of a Body, (as the Manichees erroneously held) but a true Body; therefore Christ is said to be made of a woman, Gal. 4.4. As the Bread is made of the Wheat, and the Wine is made of the Grape; so Christ was made of a Woman; his Body was part of the Flesh and Substance of the Virgin. This is a glorious Mystery, God manifest in the flesh. In the Creation Man was made in God's Image; in the Incarnation God was made in Man's Image.

Quest. How it came about that Christ was made flesh?

Resp. It was by his Fathers special designation, Gal. 4.4. God sent forth his Son made of a Woman. God the Father did in a special manner appoint Christ to be Incarnate; which shows us how needful a Call is to any business of weight and importance: to act without a Call, is to act without a Blessing. Christ himself would not be Incarnate, and take upon him the work of a Mediator, till he had a Call. God sent forth his Son made of a Woman.

Quest. But was there no other way for the restoring of fallen Man but this, that God should take flesh?

Answ. We must not ask a Reason of God's Will, it is dangerous to pry into God's Ark; we are not to dispute, but adore. The wise God saw this the best way for our Redemption, that Christ should be Incarnate ; it was not fit for any to satisfy God's Justice, but Man, none could do it but God; therefore Christ being both God and Man, he is the fittest to undertake this Work of Redemption.

Quest. Why Christ was born of a Woman?

Resp. 1. That God might fulfil that promise, Gen. 3.15. The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head.

2. Christ was born of a Woman, that he might roll away that reproach from the Woman which she had contracted, by being seduced by the Serpent. Christ in taking his flesh from the Woman, hath honored her Sex, that as at the first the Woman had made Man a Sinner, so now to make him amends, she should bring him a Savior.

Quest. Why Christ was born of a Virgin?

Resp. 1. For Decency. It became not God to have any Mother but a Maid, and it became not a Maid to have any Son but a God.

2. For Necessity. Christ was to be an High Priest, most pure and holy. Had he been born after the ordinary course of Nature, he had been defiled; (all that spring out of Adam 's Loins have a tincture of sin) but that Christ's Substance might remain pure and immaculate, he was born of a Virgin.

3. To answer the Type. Melchizedek was a Type of Christ, he is said to be without Father, and without Mother. Christ being born of a Virgin, answered the Type, he was without Father, and without Mother: without Mother as he was God, without Father as he was Man.

Quest. How could Christ be made of the flesh and blood of a Virgin, yet without sin? The purest Virgin that is, her Soul is stained with Original sin?

Answ. This Knot the Scripture unties. Luke 1.35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and overshadow thee, therefore that holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, that is, the Holy Ghost did consecrate and purify that part of the Virgins flesh whereof Christ was made. As the Alchemist extracts and draws away the dross from the Gold, so the Holy Ghost did refine and claritie that part of the Virgins flesh, separating it from sin. Though the Virgin Mary herself had sin, yet that part of the flesh whereof Christ was made, was without sin; otherwise it must have been an impure Conception.

Quest. What is meant by the power of the Holy Ghost overshadowing the Virgin?

Answ. St. Basil saith, It was the Holy Ghost's blessing the flesh of that Virgin whereof Christ was formed. But there is a further Mystery in it, the Holy Ghost having framed Christ in the Virgins Womb, did in a wonderful manner unite Christ's Human Nature to his Divine, and so of both made one person. This is a Mystery which the Angels pry into with Adoration.

Quest. When was Christ incarnate?

Answ. In the fullness of time. Gal. 4.4. When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a Woman. By the fullness of time we must understand Tempus à Patre praefinitum, so Ambrose, Luther, Corn • à Lap. the determinate Time that God had set. More particularly, this fullness of time was, when all the Prophesies of the coming of the Messiah were accomplished; and all Legal Shadows and Figures, whereby he was tipified, were abrogated, in the fullness of time God sent his Son. And by the way observe, this may comfort us in regard of the Church of God, though at present we do not see that Peace and Purity in the Church as we could desire, yet in the fullness of time, when God's time is come, and Mercy is ripe, then shall Deliverance spring up, and God will come riding upon the Chariots of Salvation: When the fullness of time was come, then God sent forth his Son made of a Woman.

Quest. Why was Jesus Christ made flesh?

Resp. 1. The Causa prime and impulsive Cause, was Free-grace; Causa 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it was Love in God the Father to send Christ, and Love in Christ that he came to be Incarnate. Love was the intrinsical Motive. Christ is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God-man, because he is a lover of Man. Christ came out of Pity and Indulgence to us: Non merita nostra, sed miseria nostra, Aug. not our Deserts, but our Misery made Christ take flesh. Christ's taking flesh was a Plot of Free-grace, a pure Design of Love. God himself, though Almighty, was overcome with Love. Christ Incarnate, is nothing but Love covered with Flesh. Christ's assuming our Human Nature, as it was a Master-piece of Wisdom, so a Monument of Free-grace.

2. Christ took our flesh upon him, that he might take our sins upon him. He was, saith Luther, maximus peccator, the greatest Sinner, having the weight of the sins of the whole World lying upon him. He took our flesh, that he might take our sins, and so appease God's wrath.

3. Christ took our flesh, that he might make the Human Nature appear lovely to God, and the Divine Nature appear lovely to Man.

(1.) That he might make the Human Nature lovely to God. Upon our Fall from God, our Nature became odious to him; no Vermin is so odious to us, as the Human Nature was to God. When once our Virgin-Nature was become sinful, it was like flesh imposthumated, or running into Sores loathsome to behold. Such was our Nature when corrupt, odious to God, he could not endure to look upon us. Now, Christ taking our flesh, makes the Human Nature appear lovely to God. As when the Sun shines on the Glass, it casts a bright luster, so Christ being clad with our flesh, makes the Human Nature shine, and appear amiable in God's Eyes.

(2.) As Christ being clothed with ou • flesh makes the Human Nature appear lovely to God, so he makes the Divine Nature appear lovely to Man. The pure God-head is terrible to behold, we could not see it and live. But Christ's clothing himself with our flesh, makes the Divine Nature more amiable and delightful to us. Now we need not be afraid to look upon God, seeing him through Christ's Human Nature. It was a custom of old among the Shepherds, they were wont to clothe themselves with Sheep-skins, to be more pleasing to the Sheep; so Christ clothed himself with our flesh, that the Divine Nature may be more pleasing to us. The Human Nature is a Glass, through which we may see the Love, and Wisdom, and Glory of God clearly represented to us. Through the Lanthorn of Christ's Humanity, we may behold the Light of the Deity shining. Christ being Incarnate, he makes the sight of the Deity not formidable, but delightful to us.

4. Jesus Christ united himself to Man, that Man might be drawn nearer to God. God was before an Enemy to us by reason of sin, but Christ taking our flesh, doth mediate for us, and bring us into Favor with God. As when a King is angry with a Subject, the King's Son marries the Daughter of this Subject, and so mediates for this Subject, and brings him into favor with the King again; so when God the Father was angry with us, Christ marries himself to our Nature, and now mediates for us with his Father, and brings us to be Friends again, and now God looks upon us with a favorable aspect. As Joab pleaded for Absalom, and brought him to King David, and David kissed him, so doth Jesus Christ ingratiate us into the favor and love of God. Therefore he may well be called a Peace-maker, having taken our flesh upon him, and so made Peace between us and his angry Father.

Use 1. Branch 1. See here, as in a Glass, the infinite love of God the Father, that when we had lost ourselves by sin, then God in the riches of his Grace did send forth his Son made of a Woman to redeem us. And behold the infinite love of Christ, that he was willing thus to condescend to take our flesh. Surely, the Angels would have disdained to have taken our flesh, it would have been a disparagement to them. What King would be willing to wear Sackcloth over his Cloath of Gold? but Christ did not disdain to take our flesh. O the love of Christ! Had not Christ been made flesh, we had been made a Curse ; had not he been incarnate, we had been incarcerate, and had been forever in Prison. Well might an Angel be the Herald to proclaim this joyful News of Christ's Incarnation, Luke 2.10. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, for unto you is born this day a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. The Love of Christ in being Incarnate, will the more appear, if we consider,

1. Whence Christ came. He came from Heaven, and from the richest place in Heaven, his Father's Bosom, that Hive of Sweetness.

2. To whom Christ came. Was it to his Friends? no; he came to sinful Man. Man that had defaced his Image, abused his Love; Man, who was turned Rebel. Yet he came to Man, resolving to conquer Obstinacy with Kindness. If he would come to any, why not to the Angels that fell? Hebr. 2.16. He in no wise took upon him the Nature of Angels. The Angels are of a more noble Extract, more intelligible Creatures, more able for Service; I, but behold the Love of Christ, he came not to the fallen Angels, but to Mankind. Among the several Wonders of the Loadstone, this is not the least, That it will not draw Gold or Pearl, but despising these, it draws the Iron to it, one of the most inferior Mettals. Thus Christ leaves the Angels, those Noble Spirits, the Gold and the Pearl, and he comes to poor sinful Man, and draws him into his Embraces.

3. In what manner he came. He came not in the Majesty of a King, attended with his Lifeguard▪ but he came poor. Not like the Heir of Heaven, but like one of an inferior Descent. The Place he was born in was poor, not the Royal City Jerusalem, but Bethlehem, a poor obscure place. He was born in an Inn, and a Manger was his Cradle, the Cobwebs his Curtains, the Beasts his Companions; he descended of poor Parents. One would have thought, if Christ would have come into the World, he would have made choice of some Queen or Personage of Honor to have descended from; but he comes of mean obscure Parents. That they were poor appears, by their Offering, Luke 2.24. A pair of Turtle Doves, which was the usual Offering of the Poor, Lev. 12.8. Christ was so poor, that when he wanted Money, he was fain to work a Miracle for it, Matth. 17.27. He when he died, made no Will. He came into the World poor.

4. Why he came? That he might take our flesh, and redeem us ; that he might instate us into a Kingdom. He was poor, that he might make us rich. 2 Cor. 8.9. He was born of a Virgin, that he might be born of God; he took our Flesh, that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in the Manger, that we might lie in Paradise. He came down from Heaven, that he might bring us to Heaven. And what was all this but Love? If our Hearts be not Rocks, this Love of Christ should affect us. Behold Love that passeth Knowledge, Eph. 3.19.

Branch 2. See here the wonderful Humility of Christ: Christ was made flesh. O Sancta Humilitas, Tu filium Dei descendere fecisti in uterum Mariae Virginis, A • st. That Christ should clothe himself with our flesh, a piece of that Earth which we tread upon, O infinite Humility! Christ's taking our flesh was one of the lowest Steps of his Humiliation. Christ did humble himself more in lying in the Virgins Womb, then in hanging upon the Cross. It was not so much for Man to die, but for God to become Man, that was the wonder of Humility, Phil. 2.7. He was made in the likeness of Men. For Christ to be made flesh, was more Humility, then for the Angels to be made Worms. Christ's flesh is called a Vail, Hebr. 10.20. Through the Vail that is his Flesh. Christ's wearing our Flesh, veiled his Glory. For him to be made flesh, who was equal with God, O Humility! Phil. 2.6. Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God. He stood upon even Ground with God, he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Patri co-essential and con-substantial with his Father, as Austin and Cyril, and the Council of Nice expresses it; yet for all this he takes flesh. Christ stripped himself of the Robes of his Glory, and covered himself with the Rags of our Humanity. If Solomon did so wonder that God should dwell in the Temple, which was enriched and hung with Gold, how may we wonder that God should dwell in Man's weak and frail Nature. Nay, which is yet more Humility, Christ not only took our flesh, but took it when it was at the worst, under Disgrace ; as if a Servant should wear a Noble-man's Livery, when he is impeached of High Treason. Nay, besides, Christ took all the Infirmities of our flesh. There are two sorts of Infirmities: Such as are sinful without pain, or such as are painful without sin. The first of these Infirmities Christ did not take upon him, sinful Infirmities, to be covetous or ambitious, Christ never took these upon him: but Christ took upon him painful Infirmities ; as, 1. Hunger, Matth. 21.18. He came to the Fig-tree, and would have eaten. 2. Weariness : as when he sat on Jacob 's Well to rest him, John 4.6. 3. Sorrow; Matth. 26.38. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. It was a Sorrow guided with Reason, not disturbed with Passion. 4. Fear; Hebr. 5.7. He was heard in that he feared. Nay, yet a further Degree of Christ's Humility, he not only was made flesh, but in the likeness of sinful flesh. He knew no sin, yet he was made sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. He was like a sinner, he had all sin laid upon him, but no sin lived in him. Isa. 53.12. He was numbered among Transgressors. He who was numbered among the Persons of the Trinity, he is said to bear the sins of many, Hebr. 9.28. Now, this was the lowest degree of Christ's Humiliation: For Christ to be reputed as a sinner, never such a Pattern of Humility. That Christ, who would not endure sin in the Angels, should himself endure to have sin imputed to him, it is the most amazing Humility that ever was.

From all this learn to be humble. Dost thou see Christ humbling himself, and art thou proud? 'It is the humble Saint is Christ's Picture. Christian, be not proud of your fine Feathers: 1. Hast thou an Estate, be not proud, the Earth thou treadest on is richer then thou; it hath Mines of Gold and Silver in the Bowels of it. 2. Hast thou Beauty, be not proud, it is but Air and Dust mingled. 3. Hast thou Skill and Parts, be humble, Lucifer hath more knowledge than thou. 4. Hast thou Grace, be humble; thou hast it not of thy own growth, it is borrowed. Were it not a folly to be proud of a Ring that is lent. 1 Cor. 4.7. Thou hast more Sin then Grace, Spots, then Beauty. O look on Christ, this rare Pattern, and be humble! It is an unseemly sight to see God humbling himself, and Man exalting himself; to see an humble Savior, and a proud Sinner. God hates the very resemblance of Pride, Lev. 2.11. He would have no Honey in the Sacrifice. Indeed Leaven is sour, but why no Honey? because when Honey is mingled with Meal, or Flour, it makes the Meal to rise and swell, ergo, no Honey. God hates the resemblance of the Sin of Pride: better want Parts, Comforts of Spirit, then Humility. Si Deus superbientibus Angels non pepercit: If God, saith Austin, spared not the Angels, when they grew proud, will he spare thee, who art but Dust and Rottenness?

Branch 3. Behold here a Sacred Riddle or Paradox; God manifest in the flesh. The Text calls it a Mystery. That Man should be made in God's Image, was a wonder; but that God should be made in Man's Image, is a greater wonder. That the Ancient of Days should be born, that he who Thunders in the Heaven should cry in the Cradle: Qui tonitruat in Coelis, clamat in cunabulis; qui regit sidera sugit ubera ; that he who rules the Stars should suck the Breasts; that a Virgin should conceive; that Christ should be made of a Woman, and of that Woman which himself made; that the Branch should bear the Vine; that the Mother should be younger than the Child she bare, and the Child in the Womb bigger than the Mother; that the Human Nature should not be God, yet one with God. This was not only mirum, but miraculum: Christ taking flesh is a Mystery we shall never fully understand till we come to Heaven, when our Light shall be clear, as well as our Love perfect.

Branch 4. From hence, God manifest in the flesh, Christ born of a Virgin, a thing not only strange in nature, but impossible, learn, That there are no impossibilities with God: God can bring about Things which are not within the sphere of Nature to produce: That Iron should swim, that the Rock should gush out with water, that the Fire should lick up the water in the Trenches, 1 Kings 18.38. 'It is natural for the water to quench the fire, but for the fire to consume the water, this is impossible in the course of Nature: But God can bring about all this, Ier. 32.27. There is nothing too hard for thee. Zach. 8.6. If it be marvelous in your Eyes, should it be marvelous in my eyes, saith the Lord? How should God be united to our flesh? It is impossible to us, but not with God. He can do that which transcends Reason, and exceeds Faith. He should not be God, if he could not do more than we can think, Eph. 3.20. He can reconcile Contraries. How apt are we to be discouraged with seeming impossibilities: how do our hearts die within us when things go cross to our Sense and Reason. We are apt to say as that Prince, 2 Kings 7.1, 2. If the Lord would make windows in Heaven, might this thing be? It was a time of Famine, and now that a measure of Wheat, which was a good part of a Bushel, should be sold for a Shekel, viz. half an Ounce of Silver; how can this be? So when things are cross, or strange, God's own People are apt to question, how they should be brought about with success. Moses, who was a Man of God, and one of the brightest Stars that ever shined in the firmament of God's Church, yet he was apt to be discouraged with seeming Impossibilities, Numb. 11.21. And Moses said, the People among whom I am are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said I will give them flesh, that they may eat for a whole month, shall the flocks and herds be slain for them to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the Sea be gathered for them to suffice them? As if he had said in plain English, he did not see how the People of Israel, being so numerous, could be fed for a month. Vers. 23. And the Lord said, is the Lord's hand waxed short? Surely that God who brought Isaac out of a dead Womb, and the Messiah out of a Virgins Womb, what cannot he do? O let us rest upon the Arm of God's Power, and believe in him in the midst of seeming Impossibilities. Remember, there are no impossibilities with God. He can subdue a proud heart, he can raise a dying Church. Christ born of a Virgin, that wonder-working God that wrought this, can bring to pass the greatest seeming Impossibilities.

Use 2. of Exhortation. Branch 1. Seeing Christ took our Flesh, and was born of a Virgin, let us labor that he may be spiritually born in our hearts. What will it profit us, that Christ was born into the World, unless he be born in our hearts? that he was united to our Nature, unless he be united to our Persons? Marvel not that I say unto you, Christ must be born again, viz. in our hearts, Gal. 4.19. till Christ be formed in you. Now then try if Christ be born in your hearts.

Quest. How shall we know that?

Resp. 1. There are Pangs before the Birth; so before Christ be born in the Heart, there are Spiritual Pangs. Some Pangs of Conscience, Deep convictions, Acts 2.37. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they were pricked at their heart. I grant, the New-birth doth Recipere magis & minus —all have not the same Pangs of Sorrow and Humiliation, yet all have Pangs. If Christ be born in thy heart, thou hast been deeply afflicted for sin. Christ is never born in the heart without Pangs—Many thank God they never had any Trouble of Spirit, they were always quiet; a sign Christ is not yet formed in them.

2. As when Christ was born into the World he was made flesh, so if he be born into thy heart, he makes thy heart an heart of flesh, Ezek. 36.26. Is thy heart Incarnate? Before it was a rocky heart, and would not yield to God, or take the Impressions of the Word; Durum est quod non cedit tactui, now it is flee • hy and tender, like melting Wax, to take any stamp of the Spirit. This is a sign Christ is born in our hearts, when they are hearts of flesh, they melt in Tears and in Love. What is it the better Christ was made flesh, unless he hath given thee an heart of flesh.

3. Christ was conceived in the Womb of a Virgin, so if he be born in thee, thy heart is a Virgin-heart, in respect of Sincerity and Sanctity. Art thou purified from the love of sin? If Christ be born in the heart, it is a Sanctum Sanctorum, an Holy of Holies. If thy heart be polluted with the predominant love of sin, never think Christ is born there Christ will never lie anymore in a Stable. If he be born in thy heart, it is consecrated by the Holy Ghost.

4. If Christ be born in thy heart, then it is with thee as in a birth. 1. There is Life. Faith is principium vivens, it is the vital Artery of the Soul, Gal. 2.20. The life that I live in the flesh, is by the faith of the Son of God. 2. There is Appetite, 1 Pet. 2.7. As new born babes, desire 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the sincere milk of the word. The Word is like Breast-milk, pure, sweet, nourishing; the Soul in which Christ is formed, desires this Breast-milk. St. Bernard, in one of his Soliquies, comforts himself with this, That sure he had the New-birth in him, because he found in his heart such strong Anhelations and Thirstings after God. 3. Motion. After Christ is born in the heart, there is a violent Motion; there is striving to enter in at the strait gate, and offering violence to the Kingdom of Heaven, Matth. 12.11. By this we may know Christ is formed in us. This is the only comfort, that as Christ was born into the World, so he is born in our hearts; as he was united to our flesh, so he is united to our Persons.

Branch 2. As Christ was made in our Image, let us labor to be made in his Image. Christ being Incarnate was made like us, let us labor to • e made like him. There are three things in which we should labor to be like Christ.

1. In Disposition. He was of a most sweet Disposition, Delitiae humani generis Tit. Vespasian. he invites sinners to come to him. He hath Bowels to pity us, Breasts to feed us, Wings to cover us. He would not break our hearts, but with Mercy. Was Christ made in our Likeness, let us labor to be made in his Likeness. Let us be like him in this, sweetness of Disposition. Be not of a morose Spirit. It was said of Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.18. He is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. Some are so barbarous, as if they were a kin to the Ostrich, they are fired with Rage, and breathe forth nothing but Revenge, like those two Men in the Gospel possessed with Devils, coming out of the Tombs, exceeding fierce, Matth. 8.28. Let us be like Christ in mildness and sweetness. Let us pray for our Enemies, and conquer them by love. David 's kindness melted Saul 's heart, 1 Sam. 24.16. A frozen heart will be thawed with the fire of Love.

2. Be like Christ in Grace. He was like us in having our Flesh, let us be like him in having his Grace. In three Graces we should labor to be like Christ. 1. In Humility. Phil. 2.8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he humbled himself ; he left the bright Robes of his Glory to be clothed with the Rags of our Humanity. A wonder of Humility! Let us be like Christ in this Grace. Humility, saith St. Bernard, is contemptus propriae excellentiae, a contempt of Self-excellency, a kind of Self-annihilation. This is the glory of a Christian. We are never so comely in God's Eyes, as when we are black in our own. In this let us be like Christ. True Religion is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Greg. to imitate Christ. And indeed, what cause have we to be humble, if we look within us, about us, below us, above us.

(1.) If we look intra nos, within us: Here we see our sins represented to us in the Glass of Conscience, Lust, Envy, Passion. Our sins are like Vermin crawling in our Souls, Job 13.23. How many are my iniquities? Our sins are as the Sands of the Sea for number, as the Rocks of the Sea for weight. Austin cries out, Vae mihi, faecibus peccatorum polluitur Templum Domini —my Heart, which is God's Temple, is polluted with sin.

2. If we look juxta nos, about us; here's that may humble us. We may see other Christians out-shining us in Gifts and Grace, as the Sun out-shines the lesser Planets. Others are laden with Fruit, perhaps we have but here and there an Olive-berry growing, to show that we are of the right kind, Isa. 17.6.

3. If we look infra nos, below us, here is that may humble us. We see the Mother Earth, out of which we came. The Earth is the most ignoble Element, Job 30.8. Thou art viler than the Earth. Thou that dost set up thy Scutcheon and Blaze thy Coat of Arms, behold thy Pedigree, thou art but pulvis animatus, walking Ashes, and wilt thou be proud? What is Adam? He is the Son of Dust; and what is Dust? The Son of Nothing.

4. If we look supra nos, above us, here is that may humble. If we look up to Heaven, there we see God resisting the proud. Superbos sequitur ultor à Tergo Deus —The proud Man is the Mark which God shoots at, and he never misseth the Mark. He threw proud Lucifer out of Heaven; he thrust proud Nebuchadnezzar out of his Throne, and turned him to Grass, Dan. 4.29. O then be like Christ in Humility.

2. Did Christ take our flesh, was he made like to us, let us be made like to him in Zeal, John 2.16. The Zeal of thy House hath eaten me up. He was zealous when his Father was dishonored. In this let us be like Christ, zealous for God's Truth and Glory, which are the two Orient Pearls of the Crown of Heaven. Zeal is as needful for a Christian, as Salt for the Sacrifice, or Fire on the Altar. Zeal without Prudence, is Rashness, Prudence without Zeal, is Cowardliness. Without Zeal our Duties are not acceptable to God. Zeal is like Rosin to the Bow-strings, without which the Lute makes no Music.

3. Be like Christ in the Contempt of the World. When Christ took our flesh, he came not in the pride of flesh ; he did not descend immediately from Kings and Nobles, but was of mean Parentage. Christ was not ambitious of Titles of Honor. Christ did as much decline the worldly Dignity and Greatness, as others seek it. When they would have made him King, he refused it; he chose rather to ride upon the Fole of an Ass, then to be drawn in a Chariot; and to hang upon a wooden Cross, then to wear a golden Crown. Christ scorned the Pomp and Glory of the World: he waved Secular Affairs, Luke 12.13. Who made me a Judge? His Work was not to arbitrate Matters of Law; he came not into the World to be a Magistrate, but a Redeemer. Christ was like a Star in an higher Orb, he minded nothing but Heaven. Was Christ made like us, let us be made like him, in heavenliness and contempt of the World. Let not us be ambitious of the Honors and Preferments of the World; let us not purchase the World with the loss of a good Conscience. What wise Man would damn himself to grow Rich? or pull down his Soul to build up an Estate? Be like Christ in an holy contempt of the World.

3. Be like Christ in Conversation. Was Christ Incarnate, was he made like us, let us be made like him in Holiness of Life. No Temptation could fasten upon Christ, John 14.30. The Prince of this World cometh, and hath nothing in me. Temptation to Christ was like a Spark of Fire upon a Marble Pillar, which glides off. Christ's Life, saith Chrysostom, was brighter than the Sun-beams. Let us be like him in this, 1 Pet. 1.16. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation. We are not, saith Austin, to be like Christ in working Miracles, but in an holy Life. A Christian should be both a Loadstone and a Diamond: a Loadstone in drawing others to Christ; a Diamond, casting a sparkling luster of Holiness in his Life. O let us be so just in our Dealings, so true in our Promises, so devout in our Worship, so unblamable in our Lives, that we may be the walking Pictures of Christ. Thus as Christ was made in our likeness, let us labor to be made in his likeness.

Branch 3. If Jesus Christ was so abased for us, he took our flesh, which was a disparagement to him, 'twas mingling Dust with Gold; if he, I say, abased himself so for us, let us be willing to be abased for him. If the World reproach us for Christ's sake, and cast Dust on our Name, let us bear it with patience. The Apostles, Acts 5.41. departed from the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to endure shame for Christ's Name: Gr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that they were graced to be disgraced for Christ. That is a good saying of St. Austin, Quid suis detrahit famae meae addet mercedi meae ; they who take away from a Saints Name, shall add to his Reward, and while they make his Credit weigh lighter, they make his Crown weigh heavier. O! was Christ content to be humbled and abased for us, to take our flesh, and to take it when it was in disgrace, let us not think much to be abased for Christ. Say as David, 2 Sam. 6.22. If this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile. If to serve my Lord Christ, if to keep my Conscience pure, if this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile.

Use 3. of Comfort. Jesus Christ having taken our flesh, hath ennobled our Nature; Naturam nostram nobilitavit, our Nature now is invested with greater Royalties and Privileges then in time of Innocency. Before, in Innocency, we were made in the Image of God, but now Christ having assumed our Nature, we are made one with God; our Nature is ennobled above the Angelical Nature. Christ taking our flesh, hath made us nearer to himself than the Angels. The Angels are his Friends, Believers are flesh of his flesh; his Members, Eph. 5.30. and cap. 1.23. And the same Glory which is put upon Christ's Human Nature, shall be put upon Believers.

CHRIST's EXALTATION.

BEfore we have spoken of Christ's Humiliation, now of his Exaltation: Before you saw the Sun of Righteousness in the Eclipse, now you shall see it coming out of the Eclipse, and shining in its full Splendour and Glory; Wherefore God hath highly exalted him; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Super-exaltavit, Ambr. Above all Exaltation.

Quest. XVIII. Wherein consists Christ's Exaltation?

Resp. In his rising from the Dead, his ascending into Heaven, and sitting at the right Hand of God the Father, &c.

Quest. In what sense God hath exalted Christ?

Resp. Not in respect of Christ's Godhead, for that cannot be exalted higher then it is; as in Christ's Humiliation, the Godhead was not lower, so in his Exaltation the Godhead is not higher: But Christ is exalted as a Mediator, his Human Nature is exalted.

Quest. How many ways is Christ exalted?

Resp. Five ways: God hath exalted Christ, 1. In his Titles. 2. In his Office. 3. In his Ascension. 4. In his Session at God's right Hand. 5. In constituting him Judge of the World.