thy Earthy Thoughts are legible Characters to his discerning look And should not the sense of this advise thy rational Soul to more watchfulness over thy treacherous Heart And surely were Christs All-seeing Eye more observed Persons Thoughts would be more weighed and their Insides more regarded O Reader whoever thou art Lodge this Truth in thy Heart and carry this Belief up and down with thee wherever thou goest The Eye of God is on thee He that must shortly be thy Judge is now thy Recorder and puts a Remark on all thy Thoughts Words and Wayes for which he will bring thee into Judgment Set a watch on all the rising motions of thy Heart stop thy hasty words at the door and examine what they are whence they come whither they go before thou let them pass and measure thy designed Actions by the Standard of the Sanctuary e're thou let them go under thy hand seeing he that is thy Judge comes with his measuring Line to take an Account of them and to render according to their nature and merit Thirdly Again As Christs Infiniteness exceeds all confines of Place so he passes beyond all terminations of Time being from Everlasting to Everlasting without Beginning without End Psal 90. 2. His Duration admits of no distinction of Time and therefore must needs be Eternal Time is the measure of Finite Beings which are capable of Priority and Succession but the Divine Essence hath no Beginning and so can have no End He is the Author of all other Beings and therefore cannot have a Beginning there being nothing before him to give him a Being God hath his Essence in and of himself and so must needs be Eternal Neither is he only Eternal saith Aquinas but he is his own Eternity because he is his own Essence subsisting in and of himself which Essence or Eternity of his is the very reason of Eternity and of all things contained therein for the Divine Essence subsisting of himself must needs be before all things that are made as the Cause is before the Effect and Eternity before Time seeing the things that are made are made by him Joh. 1. 3. His Unity also proves his Eternity being one uncompounded and undivided Being and so before all as Unity is before Multitude and whatever Beings are they are derived from Unity and without End for take off Unity and nothing remains The Scriptures bear full witness to the Eternity of Christ Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World from Everlasting to Everlasting thou art God Psal 90. 2. I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God Isa 44. 6. He is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the Ending which is which was and which is to come Rev. 1. 8. He is before all and by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. And though Christ be called the onely begotten Son of God Joh. 1. 14. and so implies the Father to be before the Son yet this priority is of Order not of Time Christ as God is Eternal with the Father and so before all Time Joh. 1. 1. and to Everlasting And this greatens the Believers Happiness beyond all conception that his Treasure is Eternal Time limits all the Comforts and Interests of Christless Souls let them seem never so amiable and great through the multiplying glass of mistaken Sense yet the shortness of their Duration narrows up their Felicity whereas the portion of Heaven-born Souls exceeds all Dimensions and Terminations The Moth of Time cannot consume their Treasure their Lease can never expire thousands of years that comprise the extent of Earthly Estates substracts nothing from that Eternity which gives duration to the Saints Treasure Rejoyce O Believer in the assured perpetuity of thy best Interests here thy most desired Mercies are but of short continuance Thy Priviledges are but Tabernacle-priviledges thy Enjoyments determinable thy Frames are transient thy Pleasures fading Hope Peace Love Grace endures but for a Season but thy Possessions beyond the Grave are eternal and as long as Christ lives shall thy Treasure last thy Holiness Happiness Pleasures and Perfections in the other World shall be coexistent with thy Soul and as far from expiring as the Love that gave them was from beginning And as thy Comforts here are short liv'd so are thy Troubles too Sorrow enduring for a Night light Afflictions and but for a moment 2 Cor. 4. 17. Tears contained within a Bottle Fears Wants Losses Dangers confin'd within this Span of time and expir'd with this short Vapor of Life but thy Consolations Gain Enjoyments Peace Safety shall be eternal no more liable to the Injury of time thy wet and weary Sowings are but for a Season thy weak and wasting Duties will be over but thy reaping thy resting shall know no end but endure while the Eternity and Omnipotency of Christ can make them good Fourthly The Divine Nature of Christ is immutable also above all Alteration and Change He is the same Yesterday to Day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. Immutable is his Nature being a most simple Essence free from parts or any Mixture that might render him capable of Corruption he is also the first Being and so free from the Influence and Dispose of a higher Power Change in any thing comes either from a Corruptibleness in its Nature or from the Will of a Superiour Power but God being the first and supreme Cause is above all and so unalterable in his Nature Isa 44. 6. I am the first and the last He is infinite too and so comprehends all Fullness of Perfection in himself and cannot meet with Alteration they are imperfect things that are subject to change old things that pass away but God is infinitely perfect and therefore cannot change or be moved from what he is by any external or internal Cause he cannot cease to be what he was or begin to be what he was not as to his Divine being indeed the Word the second Person in time assumes the humane Nature into a Union with himself but then he doth not cease to be what he was that is perfect God and so doth not change and though he alters his Laws and Administrations of Worship in the times of the Gospel yet he alters not his mind this Change was decreed from all Eternity God determined them to be mutable and therefore they must change or God would not be immutable And whereas it may be urged that God doth threaten to do what he doth not and promise to perform what he hath never fulfilled and therefore is mutable I answer that God never threatens and promises in his word absolutely but conditionally and the Condition failing the Act on which it depends fails but God doth not change his Mind neither was this Mutability in man accidental to God but foreseen and sure and so Gods Purposes thereabout are not alterable but eternal And whereas God is said now to be
second Adam as Mediator the Difference between whom was great the first Adam but a Creature this a Creator or Quickning Spirit the first Adam had his Rise from the Earth this second Adam as to his person from Heaven whence saith Paraeus 't is evident the Apostle doth not speak here of the matter of Christs Body but of the Original and Dignity of his Person for he grants in this whole Discourse that Christ's Body is one and the same with ours else how can his Resurrection be a proof of ours and 't is said As by man came death so by man came also the Resurrection of the Dead 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 22. And if Christ had not a real natural Body then he could not be the Seed of the Woman neither had his Death been a real Death or a satisfactory Propitiation if the same Nature that sinned had not also suffered And therefore it must needs be that Christ had a Natural Body He Eat Drank Spake Walked was weary smitten bound crucified which are also demonstrations of a Natural Body And as he had a perfect Body so had he a Soul also contrary to the Doctrine of Apollinaris or else he could not be a perfect Man and in all things made like unto his Brethren for 't is said when God made Man He breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and man became a living Soul Gen. 2. 7. Hence saith Lactantius A Soul-less Body is no Humane Body 'T is said His Soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Mat. 26. 38. Had not Christ a real Soul he had not been a living man nor could be said to have died when he cried out Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit Luke 23. 46. And having said so he gave up the Ghost This Spirit the Lord Jesus gave up into his Father's hands was not his Divine Nature for that was one with and ever with the Father and therefore must needs be his Soul which was his Life and that departing he is said to dye and give up the Ghost Besides That Knowledge in which he is said to increase with those Humane Affections that manifestly appeared in him and those Acts of his Natural Will plainly proves his Soul these being the Essential Faculties of a Rational Spirit Neither could he have perfectly transacted the Office of a Mediator and undergone all the Sufferings that were to be borne for the Sin of Man had he not consisted of a Humane Soul as well as Body part of these Penalties yea the greatest part being Spiritual and such as none but the Soul could be fully sensible of And in point of Justice the Soul of man having sinned there must be a Soul also in the Redeemer to undergo Sufferings wherefore he must needs be perfect man in the Essential Parts of the Humane Nature Body Soul He had also the Properties of the Humane Nature both Essential and Accidental The Essential Properties of man as well of the Soul as Body were in him The Essential Properties and Faculties of the Soul which are the Understanding Will Affections were seated in his Nature he had a created Understanding that eminently shin'd out in his youthful years being able at Twelve years old to dispute with the Learned Doctors of his Day even to the astonishment of his Hearers Luke 2. 46 47. And they found him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them Questions and all that heard him were astonished at his Vnderstanding and Answers And ver 52. Jesus increased in Wisdom and Stature He had likewise Natural Affections so as without sin He loved the young man in the Gospel for those Excellencies that were in him Mark 10. 21. And had a peculiar degree of Affection to John above the rest of the Disciples Joh. 19. 26. He had compassion on the multitude Mat. 9. 36. And was grieved for the Heart hardness of his Disciples Mark 3. 5. And had indignation against Peter's tempting him to decline his Redemption-work Mark 8. 33. He had also the Essential Properties of a Humane Body such as do flow from the Essence thereof and are so absolutely necessary to it as that without these the Body would cease to be a Body as Quantity Figure Members Dimensions He had a Material Body consisting of Flesh and Bone with its Lineaments and Members Face Hands Feet he had a Stature in which he grew as other men do Luke 2. 52. A Body circumscribed in a place that must needs have a Circumference and be in one place at once circumscriptively not definitively as Spirits are Neither does its Union with the Divine Nature or its glorified state in Heaven alter this Essential Property of a Body Nor is the Omnipotency of God a sufficient Argument to warrant the Body of Christ to be in Heaven and Earth and in divers places at once seeing God's Absolute Power never crosseth his Actual Power or infer a contrariety to his Truth and to the natural Being of things Neither did he assume the Parts and Essential Properties of Man only but the Infirmities also and accidental Properties of the Humane Nature though not those which were Personal and Vicious and procur'd by Personal Sins or defection in their particular Natures as Diseases Blindness Lameness Deformity which were not the absolute and universal Products of Original Sin incident to every one but arising from some particular Causes and peculiar to some Persons onely these our Lord Jesus did not take upon him but such Infirmities as were accidental to the whole Nature for that he himself also is compassed with Infirmities Heb. 5. 2. not sinful as culpable Ignorance and Errour but Natural Infirmities such as were incident to our Natures Sin excepted and such as were the Effects and Punishment of Sin these Christ took on him as inculpable Ignorance Humane Passions of Sorrow Fear Anger in the Soul Hunger Thirst Weariness Pain bloody Sweat and Death in the Body Mark 13. 32. Mark 11. 13. Math. 26. 38. Math. 9. 36. Mat. 16. 23. Joh. 19. 28. Joh. 4. 6. Heb. 5. 8. Luke 22. 44. Mat. 27. 50. And O what enriching Priviledges and full Consolation do flow to Believers from the Words assuming the Humane Nature into Personality with himself And what glorious Excellencies are in Jesus Christ as he is God-Man in one Person infinite Treasures which can never be traced out nor fully understood by the Children of men as will appear if we consider the kind of this Union and the Consequents of it First Consider the kind of this Union between the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ and O what a glorious Mystery is it First It is a real Union 't is not Nominal in Name onely or Metaphorical in Shew or Similitude but in Reality and Truth The Divine and Humane Nature do constitute one Person which is Jesus Christ We have already proved that Jesus Christ is perfect God and perfect Man he is really so in one
Ability to revive her dead Brother she believed indeed he should rise at the last day and not before why saith Christ they that shall then rise from the dead shall rise by my Power and if I will raise up the dead then I can as easily do it now The hour is comming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done Good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Joh. 5. 28. 29. And I will raise him up at the last day Joh. 6. 54. That there shall be a general Resurrection of the dead at the last day when every Body though now consumed shall be raised up and reunited to the Soul and be brought to the final Judgment is not questioned by those that believe and know the Scriptures The Author of this Resurrection is God as God but the second Person the Lord Jesus is delegated to accomplish this Work which he shall do by his own Voice saith Christ himself by a Shout by the Voice of the Arch-Angel and with the Trump of God saith the Apostle 1 Thes 4. 16. with a great Sound of a Trumpet saith the Evangelist Mat. 24. 31. That is the Lord Jesus shall at that last day by his mighty Voice pronounced by the Arch-Angel cause all the dead both small and great to arise in their same Bodies though chang'd into an immortal State and suitable Capacity to that Condition to which they are intended to receive their Soul and to come to Judgment And is not this a mighty Work to quicken the dead a work peculiarly ascribed to God 2. Cor. 1. 9. For we had the Sentence of Death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the Dead 'T is the work of God and of none but God to raise the dead 'T is a work full of Wonder and Amazement beyond all Principles of created reason to conceive how those Bodies dissolved to dust mingled with other Bodies in the Grave digested into other Natures by Beasts Fishes Fowls that have devoured them should yet return and be separated from other Dust and Natures into the same Individuals is such a Miracle as is only fit matter for Faith not Sense and a firm Foundation for the Believers Hope and Comfort It may be thou seest nothing but Deaths on thy Graces Frames and Capacities thou findest Decayes in thy Soul the Spirit of Life seems to be departed from thee thou canst not pray hear converse with that sweetness and delight as heretofore Comfort thy self Believer He that is the Life is the Resurrection also He that quickned thy Heart when Dead will revive it when decay'd 'T is as easie with him to restore thy Spiritual Frames as to bestow them He that can raise the whole World from their Bodily total Death can easily and will in due time cure thy Soul-dyings also Again This will chear drooping Sion who faints at her Desolations and fears what will become of the destruction on her Interests 'T is lamentable to observing Souls to see how Religion goes down daily Holiness is departed from the Earth The Rod of the wicked lies on the back of the Righteous the wicked are exalted and the Righteous oppressed The House of David waxes weaker and weaker and the House of Saul waxes stronger This is a sad Spectacle yet in this case Relief is to be fetch'd from an Omnipotent Jesus who hath said His dead men shall live who can open his Peoples graves and revive his decay'd Interest and cause a Nation to bring forth in a day and Overturn Overturn Overturn till his Kingdom be established in the Earth CHAP. III. The Humane Nature of Christ distinctly consider'd it 's Reality proved His Personality or the Divine and Humane Nature in one Person shewing what kind of Vnion it is and the glorious Consequents and Advantages thereof WE have a little enquired into the Divine Nature of Christ the Beams of whose Glory but darkly seen yield a wonderful splendor and reviving to a believing Eye In the next place let us consider his Humanity The Nature of Man which the second Person assumes into a Personal Union with himself He is perfect Man as well as God The Woman's Seed Made of a Woman made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. Made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh Rom. 1. 3. For he took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. The Children being partakers of flesh and blood he likewise took part of the same ver 14. And was in all things made like to his Brethren ver 17. Called the Son of Man the Man Christ Jesus having the Substante of the Humane Nature though not the Personal Subsistence thereof He did not take the Person of Man into Union with himself for then he would have had two Persons and so have been no true Mediator The Mediator being one 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus But if the Lord Jesus had taken the Person of Man then he would have consisted of two Persons the Divine Subsistence and the Humane and so there would have been two Mediators or Persons mediating which is contrary to Scripture Neither did he take on him the vicious Qualities or Accidents of the Humane Nature being holy harmless separate from Sinners the Holy Spirit overshadowing the Virgin Mary and purging the Humane Nature of all its sinful dregs forming it of the Substance of the Virgin not of his own Essence whence the Holy thing begotten by the Spirit was not God but Man called the Holy Child Jesus purely conceived in the Womb of a Sinner without the least participation of her Sin or vicious Defects of her Nature receiving only the perfect Substance of Man Having the Essential parts of the Body Soul Humane Nature A true and real Body and not a Phantasme and Airy Vehicle as the Marcionites and Hereticks of old held He had Flesh and Bones which a Spirit hath not Luke 24. 39. Handle me and see me for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have This was after his Resurrection when the Disciples doubted that it was an Apparition and not him and even then Christ had a real Body palpable and visible the object of External Senses A Natural and not an Heavenly Body as the Manichees affirm'd from 1 Cor. 15. 47. The first man is of the Earth Earthy the second man is the Lord from Heaven But to this I answer with Zanchy The Apostle doth not speak here of the Essential Body of Christ but of his Heavenly Spiritual Power which he lets out in raising the Dead as in the former verse The first man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit He speaks not here of the Nature but of the person of the
person Joh. 1. 14. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory The Word that is the divine Nature the God-head of Christ was made Flesh that is united to the humane Nature and this in a visible way and dwelt amongst us it was not a Fiction but really Christ God-man dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory it was obvious to our view 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels If this be not real what can be so He was manifest in the Flesh How By way of real Union Justified in the Spirit by the divine Nature here 's Flesh and here 's the divine Nature in one person Jesus Christ God-Man seen of Angels Rom. 1. 3. 4. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead Here 's a Person consisting of both these Natures real man born of the Seed of David then real God thus the Divine Nature was manifested to be in Christ by the Resurrection of the dead Rom. 9. 5. And of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Here both Natures are attributed to one Person Jesus Christ as concerning the Flesh descended from Abraham he came from David that is he received the humane Nature from the Virgin Mary and he is God over all blessed for ever The God-head is said to dwell in him bodily Col. 2. 9. Secondly It is a very near Union the nearest Union that possibly can be As the Soul and the Body make up one man so the divine and humane Nature of Christ make up one Person It is set forth by way of Inhabitation Col. 2. 9. In him dwells all the Fullness of the God-head bodily God manifest in the Flesh and justified in the Spirit makes up one entire Person As the Matter and the Form makes up one Being so this divine and humane Nature makes up one person Thirdly It is a mystical and unconceivable Union There 's a relative Union between Man and Wife making one Flesh a real Union between the Head and Members constituting one Body but this cannot reach this Union it is unconceivable above all Conception 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh We may admire it and adore it but we cannot fathom the depth of this Union between the divine and humane Nature of Christ Fourthly It is a pure and unmixed Union as to each Nature In regard of Essence the divine Nature cannot be converted into the humane nor the humane into the divine but each Nature remains distinct and it's Properties are distinct Rom. 1. 3. 4. So that there are in Jesus Christ two Natures two Wills a divine Will and a humane Will he hath the Will and Affections of a man though fully sanctified and glorified he wills whatever the God-head wills but still as to his humane Nature it is with a humane Will so that something of the workings of Christ are by the divine Power and something by the humane Nature This Union consists in the Communication of the divine Nature with the humane the God-head and the humane Nature agree so that the divine Nature of Christ communicates all its fullness as far as may further Redemption-ends for the Sanctification and Salvation of the whole body of Christ and for the fulfilling of all Redemption-Work 1 Pet. 3. 18. This is a glorious Union but it is worthy to be known Ah how little of Christ is known as to these two Natures how little a portion do we know of him Fifthly It is an inseparable Union it can never be parted more Therein lies the Happiness of Believers that Jesus Christ is God-man to all Eternity never can there be an end of this Relation Jesus Christ God-Man is the same Yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He was the same while in his obediential Work on Earth he is the same in Glory and will be the same to all Eternity This Union of Christ's two Natures must be eternal or else he cannot be said ever to live to make Intercession But he ever lives to make Intercession Heb. 7. 25. That which made Christ's Redemption infinite was that he was God as well as Man Christ the Interceder God-Man is now in Heaven and this must be for ever O what a glorious Truth is this that there can be no Cessation of this Union could this Union be separated as Nestorius holds then Redemption-work would cease He is over all God-Man blessed for evermore Rom. 9. 5. If the Saints Union with Christ be inseparable and their Interest in the Love of Christ inseparable then Christ is unalterable but because the Saints must have an eternal Union with him and he is an eternal Jesus he must be eternally God-Man Romans 8. 34 35 36 37 38 39. Joh. 17. 21. 23. 24. Secondly What are the Effects and Consequents that flow from and issue out of this Union between the divine and humane Nature â—â— Christ First from this Union of these two Natures in Christ there follows a Communication of Properties so that which is said to be done by each Nature is applied to the whole Person of Christ O this is a very glorious Mystery as this Christ's Sufferings in the humane Nature is applyed to the whole Person of Christ therefore the Blood of Christ which was but the Blood of the humane Nature is called the Blood of God Acts 20. 28. Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood being of infinite Value and Worth So the Sufferings of the humane Nature are ascribed sometimes to the divine Nature and to the whole person of Christ so 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifest in the Flesh and justified in the Spirit yet both these applyed to the person of Christ whatever the divine nature can do is applyed to the Person of Christ by a Communication of Properties â—â—owing from this Union Secondly From this Union flows this Consequence That there is Fullness of Grace plac'd in Jesus Christ to be given out to all his Seed The God-head fills the humane Nature of Christ Jo. 3. 34 God hath not given the Spirit by measure to him When we read of Christ's receiving any thing understand it of his humane Nature for the divine Nature cannot be capable of receiving any thing it is as full of Grace as ever it can hold And as the Breast is full of Milk for the Poor Babe so is Jesus Christ full of Grace in his Humane Nature to distribute to his Children His pity moves him to give out this and the other Grace to his People and it is in him to bestow it He wills the best good to all his People and what he wills
he is able to perform hence 't is said Joh. 1. 16. Of his Fulness we have all received and Grace for Grace Of that Fulness which the Divine Nature is alwayes issuing out to the Humane Nature of Christ do Believers receive Grace for Grace Grace sutable to Grace in Christ so that the Humane Nature of Christ must needs be alwayes full of Grace by reason of its Union with the Divine As the Sun that gives out Light is alwayes full of Light and the Sea that sends forth Waters to the Rivers is never vacant This is a glorious Mystery of wonderful Encouragement to Believers to consider what a full Jesus they are related to Thirdly By vertue of this Union the Lord Jesus Christ hath right to all Glory and Adoration of Men and Angels as Mediatour He is the most Illustrious Person all Honour Blessing Praise Glory Adoration is due to him Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Surely he must be a glorious Person when all the Angels must bow at his Feet Seraphims Cherubims and all the Host of Heaven stoop and give Homage to him this the Lord Jesus Christ hath a proper Right to as he is God-Man Phil. 2. 9. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name Every Tongue shall confess at last that he is Lord ver 11. Rev. 1. 17. And when I saw him I fell at his Feet as dead O the very Vision of Christ is enough to strike a poor Creature to the Earth Rev. 4. 9 10 11. The four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped this glorious Person that sate upon the Throne which is Jesus Christ Joh. 5. 23. That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father So that God the Son the Second Person the Mediatour of his People deserves all that Divine and Religious Worship which is due to God as God Thrones and Principalities are made by him and put under him Col. 1. 16. 17. Fourthly By vertue of this Union the Lord Jesus Christ hath absolute Authority Kingship and Headship in his Church and over all things to the Church Matt. 28. 18. All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth O what vast Power is this All Power on Earth to do what he will there All Power in Heaven to do what he will there Eph. 1. 22. And hath put all things under his Feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church Jesus Christ as God-Man is invested with all Power and Authority to transact the Work of a Mediator to perform the Offices of Prophet Priest and King The Godhead of Christ working as God and the Manhood of Christ working as Man yet both these Natures concurr towards the management of Redemption-work As a Prophet he is able to reveal the Will of God for he knoweth the mind of the Spirit being God he is infinite in Wisdom Job 36. 4. Rom. 11. 33. All Knowledge comes from him as Mediator In him are hid the Treasures of Wisdom Col. 2. 3. He maketh Wise to Salvation He giveth Wisdom Prov. 2. 6. He openeth the Eyes of the blind and giveth Light to them that sit in Darkness and in the Region and shadow of Death Matth. 4. 16. Luke 2. 32. Ministers can but preach to the Ear but Christ can preach to the Heart Ministers can but open the Scriptures Christ can open the Heart He is a full and effectual Head to his Body the Church to guide influence and adorn it Col. 1. 18. As a Priest And so there 's an infinite Sufficiency in his Satisfaction and Intercession seeing he is God-Man In his Satisfaction enough to silence all Pleas against his People He can arrest all the Sentences and Executions of the Law against them As an High-priest he is a sufficient Sacrifice for the Sins of the People He was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. By the Obedience of Christ all Believers are made Righteous Rom. 5. 19. The Obedience of the Saints is represented compleat in Christ though imperfect in themselves Hence Believers that are wounded with the shortness of their Services in themselves may lift up their Heads when they look upon the perfect Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ Hence 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man Sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And he is the propitiation for our Sins Though the Saints do sin Christ becomes a Sacrifice for them This one Offering of Christ ever appears before God when new Provocations appear in his People By one Offering he perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. By vertue of this Union his Blood becomes infinite Blood equally as large as the Offence Nay it is more able to save than the Sins of Believers to damn It is the Blood of Christ that cleanseth from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. Therefore his Obedience is a perfect Obedience and his Sufferings perfect Sufferings of more satisfaction to Divine Justice than if all the Sinners in the World had lain in Hell to all Eternity This Blood is so wonderfully precious that it is accounted by the Father as the Blood of God Acts 20. 28. If Infinite can satisfie Infinite then the Father is satisfied by the Blood of Christ because whatever the Justice of God can expect the Obedience of Christ can fully satisfie This Righteousness to Justification the perfect Obedience and Sufferings of Christ receives no Addition or Diminution by the Obedience or Disobedience of his People Eph. 1. 6. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved Ah! little do Souls know the Bottom they stand upon It is not poor Believer the shortness of thy Obedience the multitude and greatness of thy Sins can out-match this matchless Righteousness of Christ All the Injuriâ—s and Wrongs thou hast done is but the Injury of a Creature but the Satisfaction of Jesus Christ is the Satisfaction of God it is the Satisfaction of God the Soh presented to God the Father O what a blessed state are Believers in where there is such a price paid for their Sins Again By vertue of this Union There 's Sufficiency in the Intercession of Jesus Christ He must needs be able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him seeing he ever lives to make Intercession Heb. 7. 24 25. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Consciences from dead works Heb. 9. 14. The Blood of Christ meritoriously purges the Soul from all filthiness being offered through the Eternal Spirit God will not deny himself whatever God the Son intercedes for God the Father will grant so that Christ's Intercession must needs be effectual O what potency hath Christ in Heaven what Prevalency in all his Addresses
the Promises a Portion that will not be spent If you can say as the Martyr Mr. Saunders told his Wife when he came to the Stake he had no Portion to leave her but a Portion in the Promises and surely if you can leave your Children an Interest in Christ you leave them the best Portion But you will say How might we do this First Labour to Interest them in the Everlasting Covenant Get sound and saving Faith your selves and that will appropriate new Covenant-Mercies to your Seed I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed Gen. 17. 7. This is God's usual way to the Heirs of Promise 'T is true Gracious Persons may have Carnal Children but this is God's way Labour to have sincere Faith your selves and then you will leave Covenant-Promises for your children Secondly Get a Treasure for your Children that will not waste by your strong Cries to God for them Improve the Spirit of Grace and Supplication for them Pour out strong cries and Tears Few are like Austin's Mother who did daily pour out Tears for the Conversion of her Son 'T is impossible said Ambrose to her that a Son of so many Prayers can be lost May be you pray too coldly for them O follow God Day and Night for your Children O skrew your Supplications higher It may be you do not pray so fervently so believingly as you should for your Children Thirdly Do all you can to convince them of their undone condition without Christ Don't daub and flatter them with false Promises they must be born again or else they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Joh. 3. 3. Fourthly Instruct them in the knowledge of Christ Be opening and commending Christ to them shew them the necessity of Faith and what the Grace of Faith is Watch over their Lives be strict and severe in reproving their Sins that they may be sound in the Faith Lastly Lead a holy Conversation before them that by your Lives you may win them to Jesus Christ O your Pride Passion Carnallity Vanity may stumble them Thus do all you can to get a Portion of upper Springs for your Children 12 Duty Lastly you that have an Interest in these rich and glorious Treasures of Christ long to be with Christ for then you shall partake of all his Riches Here you have but a little to carry you in the way you have but in part but when you come home to him then you shall have according to the measure he hath purchased for you you shall see and know as you are seen and known 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. In heaven there you will have a Treasure without Measure there you will see all his Riches and Glory and be glorified with his glory then you will live at the full you will live upon himself and God will be all in all to your Souls O Christians long then to be with Christ there 's your Treasure where your Lord is your Inheritance is above with the Saints in Light Christ is gone to Heaven and there are all his Riches O long then to be fit to go home to be with Christ that you may partake of all his glory And thus have I now come to the further side of this great deep I mean to the Conclusion of this Subject and O that what hath been opened of this glorious Christ may not be in vain you have heard much of this Tree of Life God knows what Fruit hath been gathered a glorious Treasure hath been presented to your View and offered to you O see what Advantage you have gained how dreadful will it be for any that have heard so much of this rich Christ to be found poor at last O it will be sad for any to dye poor in a Loadicean State Poor Blind and naked and to be cast away O Sinners consider this you that have been woo'd and invited to get this choice tryed Gold Christ hath pleaded with you to win your Hearts if possible O take heed you dye not without an Interest in Jesus Christ you will hear all those Truths brought over to you again at the Bar of Christ and all the Counsels and Helps you have had to draw your Hearts to Christ will be then as burning Fire in your Bones and as boyling Lead in your Bowels if you perish without Christ Therefore take heed take heed that this Christ become not a stumbling Stone and a Rock of offence to your Souls And such as are Believers mind your Duty which hath been opened to you and O that these Truths might be profitable to all And the Lord give a Blessing to it Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Occasion of this Discourse with an Introduction to the words and Explication of them and the main Truth contained in them Page 1. CHAP. II. The personal Riches of Christ opened in his divine Nature manifested in his Attributes with the wonderful advantages thereof to Believers p. 11. CHAP. III. The humane Nature of Christ distinctly considered it 's Reallity proved his Personallity or the divine and humane Nature in one person shewing what kind of Vnion it is and the glorious Consequents and Advantages thereof p. 43. CHAP. IV. Shewing what is the work of Jesus Christ as he is Mediator p. 65. Which lies 1 with respect to God the Father p. 66. 2 with respect to fallen man p. 75. CHAP. V. Wherein is opened the glorious Advocateship of Christ with the unspeakable Comforts and Advantages thereof p. 79. CHAP. VI. Shewing the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved the Sin and Misery of such as refuse Christ with Reproof to several sorts of persons p. 102. CHAP. VII Shewing what Consolation flows to Believers from the Intercession of Christ p. 113. 1 To weak Believers ibid. 2 To troubled Believers in the depth of Soul-misery p. 116. 3 To Believers dejected in the sense of strong Corruptions p. 120. 4 To tempted Believers p. 122. 5 To such as are under Afflictions and Suffering in or by the world ibid. 6. To such as are Mourners for Sion p. 123. CHAP. VIII Containing a use of Exhortation to Sinners and Saints p. 128. CHAP. IX Opening somewhat of the sweet Dispositions of Christ viz. His Goodness Love and the Riches thereof as to the Kinds Fruits and Effects of it p. 137. CHAP. X. Several deductions drawn from the love of Christ p. 147. CHAP. XI The glorious Excellency of Christ's tender Pity opened and displayed in the several acts of it both to Saints and Sinners p. 153. CHAP. XII The Improvement of the pity of Christ by way of Terror Encouragement and Advice p. 165. CHAP. XIII Wherein is opened the transcendent Humility of Christ p. 170. CHAP. XIV Wherein is shewn the transcendent Meekness and Gentleness of Christ to his Enemies and to his People p. 178. CHAP. XV. Wherein is demonstrated the infinite Bounty of Christ to all his Creatures with the manner of his giving p. 188. CHAP. XVI
no way known but by Revelation and unveilings of the Spirit and in this sense are called Unsearchable Secondly As to the fulness of their Worth and Excellency they cannot be understood by any in this Life no mortal man no unglorified Soul can know them as they are to cast up the total value of these Treasures is beyond the Arithmetick of Saints themselves nay Men and Angels cannot understand the things that God hath prepared that Christ hath purchased for them that love him Here sayes the Apostle we know in part and we prophesie in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. We both you and I the most elevated Light by this side Glory know nothing of these lock't-up Mysteries as we ought and on this account also they are Unsearchable The Words being opened and the Cabinet unlock't I come to the main Subject and Treasure laid up in them which you may take in this general Doctrine and Proposition Doct. There are exceeding great glorious and unsearchable Riches in Christ opened and tender'd to Sinners in the Gospel In this Doctrine lie three grand Assertions to be proved Assertion 1. That there are exceeding great glorious and unsearchable Riches in Christ Assert 2. These vast and hidden Treasures of Christ are opened in and by the Gospel Assert 3. 'T is the Will of God that all these great and glorious Treasures which are in and come by Jesus Christ should be open'd and offer'd to Sinners yea the chiefest of Sinners I shall speak to each Assertion but more largely to the first That there are exceeding great glorious and unsearchable Riches in Christ And here I shall first prove by Scripture That there are great glorious and unsearchable Riches in Christ Secondly Shew you according to the Grace given me what are those Unsearchable Riches of Christ First That there are such Riches in and come by Jesus Christ the whole Gospel attests which is a Revelation of the Excellency of Christ and those glorious things which come by him I shall give you three or four Scriptures to prove it Col. 1. 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory In the former verse the Apostle calls the Gospel a Mystery hid from former Ages the Excellency of which he opens in this verse and sets out in these two Epithetes 1. Rich. 2. Glorious First 'T is a rich Mystery in that it opens the glorious Riches of Christ which are better than the Gold of Ophir and all precious Substance the Riches of his Wisdom Grace Righteousness and Redemption which he calls tryed Gold and counsels poor Sinners to come to him for it Rev. 3. 17. Secondly 'T is a glorious Mystery called the Riches of his Glory Rom. 9. 23. That he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy Eph. 1. 18. The Riches of his Glory c. The Gospel is a glorious Mystery because it brings to light great and glorious things even the Treasures of unknown Glory and what these Treasures of Glory are he tells you in the close of the verse they are Christ in you the hope of Glory Christ Jesus applied by Faith and received into the Soul by the Spirit is this glorious Treasure in that he gives them in his Union with them an evident Right to Glory See Prov. 8. 18 19. Riches and Honour are ascribed to him Riches and Honour are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness My Fruit is better than Gold yea than fine Gold and my Revenue than choice Silver This is spoken of Christ the true Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. Christ the Wisdom of God and Power of God who is the Subject of this Chapter And 't is said of him that Riches durable Riches are with him better Treasures than Gold than choice Silver Durable Treasures which Time cannot waste or alter Riches that last to all Eternity which Rust and Moth cannot consume And Righteousness i. e. Treasure justly gotten Riches of Wisdom and Grace given him by the Father and Riches of Righteousness bought by his Blood All this Treasure is in him and offer'd by him unto Sinners In Christ must needs be Unsearchable Riches for in him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. that is the Divine Nature united to the Humane Nature perfect God as well as perfect Man the infinite Treasures of the Divine Nature are his He is the Heir of all things and therefore must needs be rich Heaven and Earth are his Jews and Gentiles all Persons and Things put under him in which Glory and Majesty set over all the Works of Gods hands he mounts his Throne having confirmed his Title by his Blood and gives Gifts to men and makes a tender of Grace and Glory of Thrones and Crowns to all that come unto him promising to his Servants that they also shall inherit all things Rev. 21. 7. and therefore he himself must needs be rich In him are Treasures of Mercy and Goodness of Wisdom and Knowledge Riches exceeding Riches of Grace Eph. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Riches of Strength Honour Glory and Blessing So that the Scriptures give in full testimony to this Truth That there are exceeding great glorious and unsearchable Riches in Christ And now I shall endeavour to shew Secondly What are those exceeding great and unsearchable Riches of Christ But alas this Well is deep and wherewith shall we draw these Treasures are out of sight who can find them out they are boundless bottomless numberless endless where shall we begin where can we make an end who can search them out to Perfection The best of men are but Learners the Angels are Enquirers the wisest men but Fools in these Searches we can know but in part nor prophesie but in part when the utmost is spoken you have not heard of one half of his Glory But according to the Revelation of Christ I shall open some of these Treasures of Christ to you under these two Heads His Riches Personal Purchased with some Applications and Improvements of them as we go through these Deeps CHAP. II. The Personal Riches of Christ opened in his Divine Nature manifested in his Attributes with the wonderful Advantages thereof to Believers PArt of these glorious Treasures of Christ lies in his Personal Riches that vast Worth and unknown Excellency that reside in himself which become the Believers Treasure also by their Relation to their Union with Contemplation of it with the communicated Fruits and Effects thereof Col. 1. 27. which is Christ in you the hope of glory i. e. which Treasure is Christ in you or Christ united to you by Faith and dwelling in you by his Spirit Christ his Personal as well as purchased Treasures are yours through your Union with your Relation to your Enjoyment of him and his glorious Communications to you Now these Personal Treasures of Christ are demonstrable in
his Natures in his Offices in his sweet and gracious Dispositions In his Natures severally considered and united in his Hypostatical and Personal Union The Person of Christ consists of two Natures God the true Emanuel or God with us God manifested in the Flesh Man the true Emanuel or God with us God manifested in the Flesh So Joh. 1. 14. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace and Truth That is the Word which was God in the Second Person The brightness of his Glory and express Image of his Person Heb. 1. 3. took our Nature to himself in one Person and became Mediatour perfect God and perfect Man First Perfect God equal with the Father in Essence Joh. 10. 30. I and my Father are one that is one God not one Person 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Person but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing or Being I am in the Father and the Father in me and therefore my Sheep are safe they are in my hand and in my Father's hand here are two distinct Subsistences and we are the same I and my Father are one God as God I am equal with him the same in Substance equal in Power and Glory Rom. 9. 5. Of whom concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever over all men and over all things or in all as Vatab. This Scripture is generally used by all Interpreters to prove the Divine Nature of Christ He is God over all and blessed for ever in himself and of himself and the Author of all those Blessings his Creatures enjoy By him are all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Visible and Invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Coloss 1. 16. And therefore he is perfect God this being his peculiar Operation to create the World By him all things consist he upholds all things by the word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. Supporting and ruling them which is another property of the Divine Nature the ruling and bearing up of all things in the World which none but everlasting Arms can do So he hath Power to forgive Sins which only God can do to raise the Dead to judge the World Mark 2. 5 7. Joh. 11. 43 44. Acts 17. 31. To know the Secrets of all Hearts Luke 5. 22. To be the Object of Religious Worship Heb. 1. 16. All which abundantly prove the Lord Jesus to be perfect God and so of infinite Perfection and Blessedness to inrich all that come unto him which will evidently appear if we do but a little consider those Perfections of the Divine Nature as opened in the Scriptures all which are in Jesus Christ First His Simplicity being a most pure Essence without the least Composition or Diversity of Parts or Accidents There is no mixture of Qualities or Excellencies in God but every Attribute is his entire Essence and therefore he is a most pure and simple Being as the Names he gives himself import especially these two Ehejeh Exod. 3. 14. I am hath sent me unto you The Word is in the future Tense I will be hath sent me but in the Hebrew the future Tense expresseth often both the Present and preterperfect and so this Word holds forth God's most simple absolute and immutable Being and self Existence So Jehovah a Name which God seems to take most Delight in and which doth as it were sum up all his glorious Excellencies in one word importing his most pure glorious and incomprehensible Essence which he hath in and from himself before all time and unto all Eternity subsisting in and of himself and giving Being to all his Creatures and therefore must needs be the most perfect and simple Being The Unity of his Essence proves his Simplicity he is one God though three Persons Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one God he is the first Being and one undivided Essence and therefore most pure and simple He is altogether a most perfect Being in and of himself who wants nothing that is excellent nor can have any thing in himself that is evil and therefore is a most simple pure Nature And if Jesus Christ as God be such a simple and excellent Being then he is a most perfect Treasure to his People there is nothing wanting in him to make them happy nor can there be any thing in him or come from him to make them miserable then he is true and faithful to Believers there can be no Contrarieties in him or Contradictions proceed from him his Love is sincere his Purposes are true there is a reality in his Expressions for he is one and of one mind to his redeemed ones O Believers think on the Purity of Christ's Nature the Perfection of his Blessedness the Integrity of his Affections and the Infiniteness of all his Perfections to make his beloved ones happy There 's no Moth or Rust no Worm or Death can ware out his pure Affections to his People There is no mixture in his Nature Composition is the Corruption or Imperfection of created Beings but in Christ's Divine Nature there is Unity and Simplicity there is nothing can alter his Thoughts and Resolutions to his sincere ones he is most true and most full in all his Perfections and this his Simplicity assures Believers of eternal and infinite Blessedness in their Union with and Relation unto him for he is in himself the most absolute and perfect Being the first and most simple Being he is most perfect in and of himself for he hath all his Perfections in and of himself as God and all that is sufficient for his infinite Blessedness in and from himself and hath all that in him which is sufficient for the Good of his Creatures and highest Happiness of his People Again he is most perfect because he wants nothing from another to make him blessed He needs no Creatures to contribute any thing to him nor doth he lose any thing by Creatures falling from him or can have any Addition to his Glory or Blessedness by the access of men or Angels to him So also he doth what pleaseth himself nothing can resist his Will or frustrate his Purposes and therefore is most perfect in himself And if the Lord Jesus be so perfect in himself then he is the Author of Perfection to his People for he hath made over himself his whole Person God-Man to Believers to be their Shield and exceeding great Reward Then Believer thy case is happy thy Treasure is full and perfect thy Choice is a blessed Choice and thy Lot a perfect Lot fall'n in a good Ground Then the Person of thy Beloved is altogether lovely his Accomplishments being altogether perfect not a Spot or Blemish in him Then all his Gifts to his Spouse are perfect his Righteousness is a perfect
a mortal wound Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to behold my Glory Joh. 17. 24. All his Glory that he hath purchased with his Blood is for his People As a Father if he gets a large Estate his Children shall fare the better for it he will leave it all to them so Christ in Heaven intercedes Father I will that my Children may share with me in my Glory may Reign and sit on Thrones and be crowned with Immortality with me Where I am there shall my Servant be Thus you see what Christ intercedes for in Heaven Fifthly Why doth the Lord Jesus Christ intercede in Heaven First Because he hath undertaken this Work for his People He is their Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1. He is an Officer in Heaven for them and hath undertaken their Cases and being bound he will be faithful He is there as their Fore-runner and his Fidelity lies at stake to make their way plain to Glory If they come not after how can he be their Fore-runner Secondly Because of his Interest in them they are very near to him they are his own Having loved his own that were in the World Joh. 13. 1. Persons use to love their own The World loves its own therefore is Christ so concern'd in the welfare of his People because they are his Propriety They are his Friends Joh. 15. 14 15. Ye are my Friends I have called you Friends And will not a man concern himself about his Friends There 's never a man on Earth that hath a Friend so near his heart as the Saints are to the heart of Christ They are his Brethren He is not ashamed to call them Brethren Heb. 2. 11. He is their Elder Brother and they are younger Brethren and he cannot but have a tender heart towards them How full of Bowels was Joseph to his Brethren though they had sold him and injured him yet how affectionately did he discover himself to them he wept that the Egyptians heard him Gen. 45. It is a most affecting Story to shew what the heart of a Brother is or should be O how much is Jesus Christ concerned in the welfare of his People Again He is their Father He hath the Bowels of a Father He pleads in Heaven at the Right hand of God as a Father doth speak for his Children O! if a man had a Child or some Children condemn'd to dye how would a tender Father speak for them and weep for them that they might not dye with such Bowels doth Jesus Christ plead for his People in Heaven Again They are his Spouse his Love his Dove married to him Cant. 5. And can a tender affectionate Husband shut up his Bowels towards his own Flesh So Christ in Heaven accounts nothing too dear that might be for the welfare of his People because of their conjugal relation to him Thirdly Because of the great Love he bears to them therefore will he make Intercession for them Isa 63. 9. In his Love and pity he redeemed them Nor men nor Angels can tell the Height Depth Length and Breadth of the Love of Christ it is Love passing Knowledge Eph. 3. 18. Christ's Love to his people is unconceivable unchangeable many waters cannot quench it all their Unkindness cannot diminish it therefore he remembers their Concernments and pleads their Cause Fourthly Because of the Sympathy the Lord Jesus Christ hath with them he hath a fellow-feeling of all their Infirmities and Afflictions as he is their head he cannot but sympathize with all the Maladies and Distempers of every Member he is the high-priest and must have Compassion Heb. 4. 15. For we have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities He cannot be capable of Insensibility of the Cases Concerns and Conditions of his people Weaknesses Sins and Wants whatever becomes the Burden of his People it is near his Heart It is not his own Glory in Heaven can take off his Thoughts and Care of them He that abuseth the Saints offers Violence to Christ's Eye Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his Eye While he was in Heaven in the Possession of the Fathers Glory no sooner did their Cry come up from Aegypt but presently it reached his Heart God tells Moses he could not stand still to hear the Complaint of his poor afflicted people God in Christ the second person the Angel of the Covenant resents the Miseries and Afflictions of his people Exod. 2. 23. 24. I have surely seen the Afflictions of my People which are in Aegypt and have heard their Cry and I am come down to deliver them Exod. 3. 7 8. And if he was so pityful as to be soon afflicted with the Afflictions of his people before he assumed the humane Nature upon him is he not as much now sith he hath taken our Nature upon him and stands in Heaven cloathed with our Body and Soul Heb. 5. 2. Christ carries no Weaknesses to Heaven with him he hath no kind of Wants Pains nor Sorrows but he is compassed with Infirmities that is a Sense of the Weaknesses and Remembrance of the Afflictions and Infirmities whilst he was here He knows the Heart of a Stranger he knows what it is to be under the Wrath of God therefore cannot but have a fellow-feeling of the Infirmities of his People No tender Mother can be more affected with the pain of a little sucking Child with the Fear of losing it than Christ is with the case of his people therefore he pleads for them Fifthly Jesus Christ cannot chuse but speak for his People in Heaven because he hath purchased them he hath bought them and paid for them he thought it fit to lay down a very great price for every believing Soul 1 Cor. 6. 19. You are bought with a price He was willing to have his Heart opened and his Side opened that he might let out his Blood for them and surely he cannot but be willing to intercede for them when he was willing to dye and bear divine Wrath for them he hath bought Grace and Glory for them and he must needs speak that they might have what he hath paid for It is true if God should deal upon the account of Creature-deservings they would soon be totally destitute but though unworthy in themselves Christ pleads his Worthyness Father I will that thou give out this and the other Mercy to them I have purchased it for them it is true they have abused the Gospel and sinn'd away the Light of thy Countenance but I will that thou speak comfortably to them for my sake for I have always obey'd thee and done thy Will Sixthly Because of his Promise to them he hath promised he will not leave them Jo. 14. 18. I go away says Christ but I will not leave you I go to Heaven but it is for you I carry your Names on my Heart that I might think upon you when I am
Blood he likewise also himself took part of the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did freely receive their Communion-nature or did freely communicate with them in the same Nature He took on him the Seed of Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he consented to take their Nature and therein to be their Avenger and Redeemer as the word imports O Humility That this glorious Jehovah should condescend to so near a Union with man a Creature so low and of so small Account Isa 2. 22. Psal 8. 4. A Creature so poor destitute of all Good and deprived of its Beauty Strength Riches and Glory Psal 140. 12. Rev. 3. 17. A Creature so filthy and vile that it drinketh up Iniquity as water Job 15. 16. And a Creature so guilty before God of Rebellion and high Treason one that hath forfeited all his Mercies and stands bound over to the just Sentence of Death and Condemnation Secondly in his Birth He was born of mean and obscure Parents Joseph his Father was a Carpenter he descended not from persons of the highest Dignity but of low Estate as Mary her self acknowledgeth Luke 1. 48. He was born in a Stable and laid in a Manger Luke 2. 7. A contemptible place where bruit Beasts use to lodge and feed he was worshipped by the wise men of the East acknowledged to be King of the Jews and proclaimed to be Saviour of the World by an Herauldry of Angels and yet hath no bâ—tter Cradle than a Manger O unparellel'd Condescension Thirdly In his voluntary making himself of no Reputation and taking on him the Form of a Servant Phil. 2. 7. He did as it were evacuate himself and spoil himself of all his Glory as the word signifies not that he ceased to be God or to be equal with the Father but he concealed all this Glory and as it were depriv'd himself of all the Manifestations of it by uniting to himself the form of a Servant that is the humane nature in a servile State he took upon him the Form of a Servant Non dimittendo quod erat sed assumendo quod non erat says Zanchy As God he was omnipotent but this Omnipotency was hid under the weakness of his humane Nature his Omniscience veiled under a limitted Knowledge his Glory clouded under Shame his Riches concealed under Poverty his Majesty obscured under Contempt and his Immortality cloathed with Mortality Quest What Servant did Christ take on him the Form of Ans Why 1. Of the Servant of God Isa 42. 1. Behold my Servant whom I uphold Some take it passively on whom I will lean and in whom I will trust and commit my whole Work unto others actively whom I will raise up and strengthen and carry through my Work Again 2. He became the Servant of man also Matth. 20. 28. The Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister Fourthly In his being made under the Law Gal. 4. 4. When the Fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made under the Law and therefore 't is said he was a Minister of the Circumcision O! What Humility was this That the Son of God should stoop to the Paedagoge of the Law and enter on this low and legal Obedience Fifthly In his Obedience to his Parents and Submission to their low and mean Condition both for Food and Apparel Luke 2. 51. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them Sixthly In his Employment and Calling he was pleased to use till he entred upon his Ministry He continued with his Father and as one of the Fathers hath it wrought at his Father's Trade and therefore was called the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. Joseph says Mr. Lightfoot taught Christ his own Trade And Justin Martyr an ancient Writer sayes That Jesus Christ before he entred upon his Ministry made Plows and Yokes Seventhly In his Company He did not chuse the Society of Great and Noble but of mean and obscure Persons He set apart Fishermen and Publicans to be his Disciples and accompanied Publicans and Sinners which caused the Senate of Rome to vote him down from being a God because all his Disciples and followers were inconsiderable and beggarly Joh. 7. 48. Eightly In his contentment with mean things He had not a house where to lay his head Matth. 8. 20. And 't is said he was willing to be poor For being rich he made himself poor that we through his poverty might become rich 2 Cor. 8 9. He was content with any fare Barly Bread and Fishes a broyled Fish and an honey-comb Luke 24. 42. He was not as proud Persons are nice and choice of his Dâ—et but was pleased with any food Joh. 21. 5. Children have you any meat Ninthly In his submissive carriages towards God and men when the Lord bruis'd him and made his Soul an Offering for Sin we find not one hasty or undue Expression But 't is said He was led as a Sheep dumb before her Shearer Isa 53. 4 6 7. All that he said was this humble complaint O God my God why hast thou forsaken me He was rejected and despised of men and yet maintain'd an humble deportment ver 3. He was lowly to all Persons not only to the high and noble but to the poor and despicable not only to Friends but to Enemies not only abroad but at home not only among the meek and humble but among the proud and peevish not when it was admired but when despised Tenthly In his doing the meanest Services He condescended to the lowest and most contemptible actions if he might administer good Matth. 20. 28. He girded himself with a Towel as a Servant and washed his Disciples feet Joh. 13. 4 5. Lastly In his patient bearing others Sins and Sufferings Proud men cannot endure to bear another's Fault but Christ was willing to be numbred amongst Transgressors to be reckoned an Offender and to bear the Sins of many even of all that come unto him 1 Pet. 2. 24. He humbled himself to the Death Phil. 2. 8. To a shameful Death the Death of the greatest Malefactors and to the cursed Death of the Cross Secondly The Lord Jesus was not only humble whilst on Earth when he pass'd through his state of Humiliation but even now when he is in Heaven and hath entred into his Glory he detains this lowliness of heart This will be perspicuous if you consider First His Condescention to behold the things on Earth Psal 113. 5 6. One would have thought it beneath the Dignity of Christ now advanc'd above all Glory to take any notice of Sublunar Affairs but if he delighted in the habital Parts of the Earth before he came down to redeem them then much more now he hath the possession of the fruit of his Blood among them Secondly His Converses with the meanest and most despicable Persons on Earth by his Spirit Isa 57. 17. Joh. 14. 19. 21 23. Be they never so low and poor yet if
very Doctrine are words of peace Eph. 2. 17. He came to guide our feet into the way of peace Luke 1. 79. He came and Preached Peace O what a blessed Estate hath Christ what a lovely Lord is Christ He bequeaths peace to his people Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you Joh. 14. 27. They have peace with God who Espouse this Christ Rom. 5. 1. Peace with Saints and Angels Col. 1. 20. Peace with Conscience too Phil. 4. 7. Heb. 10. 22 The Fruits of the Spirit is Peace Gal. 5. 22. His Riches have no sorrow annexed with them 7thly It is a perpetual Estate An inheritance that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 4. Christs Riches are durable Riches aged Riches strong solid Riches Opes densae that is â—ultae firmae says Mercer they are great stable Riches Pro. 8. 18. Riches and Honour are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness His Gold is not liable to rust 'T is said of the Cedar worms will not breed in it sure there 's no worm in Christ's Treasure O Souls 't is a lasting Estate That neither time nor changes can wast nor weaken All the Saints spending upon it to all Eternity never detracts from it Christs Treasures are like the deep waters or like the bottomless Ocean that cannot be exhausted his treasure will last as long as God the Soul and Eternity lasts which is for ever for ever for ever Some men have out-liv'd their Leases and their Estates and have seen an end of their Houses and Riches but the Spouse of Christ can never out-live her jointure it lasts to all Eternity Lastly 'T is a possest estate Some may have great estates but it is in reversion they may look long for it as some Heirs do all their days But Christs Estate is all in his own hand 't is actually made over to him by the Father and possession given him when he sate down at the Right hand of God Heb. 1 3. He hath actually obtained this Inheritance with the Fruits of it Heb. 1. 4. And is actually invested with this glory Heb. 2. 7. This sinners is the Estate of that Beloved that is tendered to you in the Gospel for your choice he is very wealthy he hath a fair free sure sutable pleasant peaceful perpetual possession an Estate you cannot spend or comprehend an Inheritance you cannot lose or out-â—ive riches that will not cloy nor clog yâ—u a portion that cannot be out-vy'd or match'd Come view the Rentals of his Lands the Inventory of his Goods and see what a rich match Christ is there 's none like him where can you mend your penny-worths all the world no nor the Heaven of Heavens can yield you such another bargain Job 28. ver 13. c. Man knoweth not the price thereof the gold and the Chrystal cannot equal it and the exchange of it shall not be for Jewels of fine gold c. Then Jesus Christ is worth a looking after if he be so rich as the Scripture reports him to be and I presume you question not the truth of this testimony O slight not this bargain which will make you happy to all Eternity if wealth will please you here 's enough what say you Have you any objection against his estate If not what stick you at Secondly Dost thou dislike his person Then it argues thou knowest him not for he is altogether Lovely the chiefest of ten thousands The fairest of the Children of Men O come behold the Lamb of God Look upon this glorious Jehovah Christ O see his Personal Excellency and it will allure you and invite you to come to him he is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express image of his Fathers Person Heb. 1. 3. Sinners look well upon him view him from top to toe there is no blemish in him O he is the most exquisite one his perfections are enough to please you his beauty sufficient to allure you See his excellent lineaments the sweet proportion of every part O how lovely is Christ to the believing eye in regard of his Person Consider his Natures God Man sweetly concentring in an intimate and Eternal Union perfect God perfect Man in one person O where can you espy such an object sure he is a Non-such none like him in Heaven none like him on Earth in regard of his Personal Glory as Mediatour God Man look over his Characters that his friends have given him See in that Book of Cant. Chap. 5. How the Spouse displays him and you will find him a beautiful Person ver 11. to the end His head is as the most fine gold His Wisdom and Government is most pure solid and excellent His locks are bushy and black as a Raven Which notes not only his love liness but his strength and vigour he hath his radical moysture his vital heat He is strong his vigour abides with him he hath strength sufficient for all his undertakings and he is able to go through what he sets his hand unto he is strong vigorous and spritely His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the Rivers of Waters washed with Milk and fitly set His sight is quick and perfect his understanding is infinite His Counsels are holy and consistent all well set his decrees his purposes all methodically ordered and fixed His looks are gracious his aspects lovely enamouring the eyes of them that behold him O such a lovely Christ is tendred to Sinners O I know not how to set him forth to your capacities he is a most taking object indeed His face is white and ruddy Emblems of Rich Beauty captivating the eyes and ravishing the hearts of beholders The purity of the divine nature with the passions of the humane and procurements of his Redemption sets him forth as infinitely amiable in the eyes of Believers His cheeks are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers His graces and choice discoveries of his Excellencies doth wonderfully feed and delight the Souls of those that have acquaintance and fellowship with him his sweet and lovely perfections discover'd to Believers are like a rich feast that stay with them His lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe The impartings of his wisdom the droppings of his Doctrine his gracious words his Holy Communications are savoury and sound pure and incorruptible they strengthen the heart and heal the Soul of those that imbrace him His Doctrine carries wonderful strength to those that are in weakness how do the words of grace revive the fainting hearts of Believers his wayes are strength to the upright like Myrrhe they make the heart sound His hands are as gold rings set with the Beryl His works and administrations in the World are full of order beauty and excellency All that he doth in Sion and out of Sion is all holy every providence that seems to us sometimes to be unseasonable is in infinte wisdom display'd by Jesus Christ for the good of his people