against himself by which they might not faint nor be wearied in their minds Whereof saith he we being encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and sin which do so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race which is set before us Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be faint and wearied in your minds Heb. 12.1 2 3. 3. I proceed now to the third Inquiry To what end Christ came into the World the Text tells It was to save that which was lost Here we must inquire I. What is to be understood by the word Save II. What by the word Lost III. How or in what sence Those were lost whom Christ came to save 1 What is to be understood by the word Save Here two things are to be considered First What those Evils were from which Christ came to save that which was lost Secondly What Priviledges he came to invest them withall for it is taken for granted that the holy and wise God did not design that Jesus Christ should come into the World only to deliver man out of the estate of perishing eternally but also to qualifie man for the enjoyments of such Priviledges Immunities as were consistent with a Creator to confer and a creature to possess I shall begin with the first Consideration First What those inconveninencies and dangers were from which Jesus Christ did come to save man and of these in the order as follows 1. To save man from the Law to bring him out from under those dispensations by which he could not reap any advantage in order to the remission of his sins for the first terms being broke with God by man they had no room left them for repentance by which they might obtain everlasting life and glory Neither did Moses's Law give or procure pardon of sin it being a Law that was weak and infirm now then if this be given us for granted it will follow That it must be the design of Christ to come into the World in order to deliver man from this Law for it is apparent that there was reason for the abolishing of this Law because it was so unable through mans weakness to do that which was designed to do viz the expiation of or cleansing us from sin Hence it is that St Paul tells us Hebr. 7.18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof Lex moralis non potuit expiare nec ceremonialis sanctificare Now these Lawes were not designed by Almighty God to effect the pardon of sin he giving most of them for a punishment for sin Wherefore then serveth the Law 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle Gal. 3.19 it was added because of Transgressions And it was given as a judgment upon the people of Israel as you may see Ezek. 20.24 25 Because they had noâ— executed my judgments but had despised my Statutes and had polluted my Sabbaths and their eyes were after their Fathers idols Wherefore I gave them statutes that were not good judgments whereby they should not live Now it is manifest that such Laws as those could make nothing perfect and therefore it was the design of the man Jesus to come into the World to save men from the Yoke of this Law and from the Curse entailed upon the same 1. From the Yoke of the Law see Gal. 4.4.5 where the Apostle shews us plainly that when the time was come when the Almighty and Everlasting God was pleased to lay the Mosaical Law aside then he sent his own Son in humane flesh who submitted to and performed the whole Law to redeem the sons of men from under those dispensations even from the Mosaical performances which was an insupportable yoke and while thaâ— Law lasted it was a partition wall that did hinder the Gentiles from a clear understandinâ— of the intentions that he had to do them good those that had the experience of the yoke looked upon it as a tempting of God to put it upon the neck of others they being excused from its servitude by vertue of Christs comeing into the world see Acts 15 1â— Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples c. comparing this with thâ— words of the Apostle But when the fulness of time was come God sent his Son made of Woman under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law Now that this Law wâ—â— such an insupportabâ—e burden doth not only appear from the nature of the Law it self but also from the design of God in giving it and the great occasion that moved the eteâ—nal God to impose it upon men and likewise from the insufficiency of it it being not ablâ— to procure any eternal reward for the keepers and observers thereof in the state they were iâ— 2. Christ designed to deliver man from the Curse of the Law and did actually bâ— his death accomplish this his design by being made a Curse for man see Gal 3 1â— where the Apostle saith in express words Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree So that from hence we may observe That there was no means in the Law left to justifie any but rather to bring Curses on all and that is apparent because all have sinned seâ— ver 10. As many as are of the works of the law are cursed for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them Christ our blessed Redeemer hath been pleased to make a seasonable intreposition and make known the pardon of sin in a second Covenant and in order hereunto he did undergo the Curse of the Law by being hanged on a Tree Consider again those words of St. Paul As many as are of the works of the law are under a curse that is they are involved under the Curse for every sin they are guilty of so that they are in no possibility of being in a state of being justified hereby therfore Christ the great Restorer of the World did come to save and deliver man from the Curse of the Law Both of which particulars are I think sufficiently proved by the Apostle in Gal. 5.1 Stand fast therefore in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage Hence it is apparent he made man free from the snare and servility of the Law 3. Christ came to save men from their vain Conversation received by Tradition from their Fathers certain it is that the greatest Devotees to that Religion had not
to be preferred before the Angels and the Saints of God Tradâ—io enim adhuc est inter eos Messiam evehendam super Abrahamum Mosem Angelos ministraâ—res And 2. This brings me to the other reason why Christ is called the Son to shew that he is preferred before the rest of Gods Messengers and Servants as for example 3. Moses who was indeed faithful in the discharge of his office in the house of the Eternal God but it was in the Condition and qualification of a Servant but Christ appeared faithful as a Son see Heb 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High priest of our profession Christ Jesus who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithfull in all his house for this man was accounted worthy of more glory then Moses in as much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house For every house is built by some but he that built all things is God and Moses verily was faithful in his house as a Servant for a testimony of those things which were to he spoken after but Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we if we hold Fair the Confidence and the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end From all which I gather this undeniable Maxime That although Moses had in his time the greatest honours conferred on him in reward of his fidelity towards Almighty God yet he is still termed a Servant but when any thing is spoken of Christ when brought to publick view by way of comparison with the greatest of the Heroes before him he is preferred before them all as a Son the eldest Son Master of the Family so that now we see plainly the reason of this appellation The Son as a learned Father saith upon theâ—e words Christum ante Angelis praetulit nunc Moysi quem Judaei facilé putarentâ— Angelis praestare quos Scriptura non Amicos ut Mosem sed ministros vocat It is true that what was spoken of Moses may be said of Jesus Christ but that which is spoken of Jesus Christ cannot properly be said of Moses The Jews that did believe Jesus to be the Christ and the Messias that should come into the VVorld yet still they were great admirers of Moses and of the rest of those great men who had the conduct of affairs in their several generations and were sometimes inclined to judge an equality to be betwixt Moses and Christ The Apostle therefore to take them off from putting so great a dishonour upon the Captain of their salvation tells them that Christ was counted worthy of more glory then Moses for though Christ was a Servant of God as well as Moses and a friend of God as well as Abraham yet he was to be preferred because he was a Son and the Sons amongst the Jews were preferred before Servants and friends and the eldest Son before all the family so Christ being the eldest Son the first begotten among many brethren to him is given the preheminence the Jews though reduced to the obedience of faith yet through the habit of a different Education were unwilling to forsake the great veneration they had for their great conductors to whom they gave more honour and respect than they did to the Angels themselves for they termed them the Friends of God but the Angels those Celestial beings were onely termed Gods Servants So that it is very probable that when the Apostle prefers Christ before the Angels it was a Doctrine that they were more easily induced to believe therefore after he had given undeniable reasons to convince them that the Sonship of the Messias did intitle him to more glory honour than Gods holy Angels he comes to give them the like arguments to oblige them to believe this Sonship of Christ intitles him to more glory than Moses himself to whose Law they gave such veneration insomuch that they thought none could be saved but those that did observe it Acts 15.1 And seeing that they had such an esteem for Moses it would be a matter of difficulty to make them to believe the preheminency of Jesus Christ above him Therefore the Apostle in these first fix Verses of the third Chapter of the Hebrews endeavours upon the account of the Sonship of Christ to manifest him to be worthy of more glory than Moses who though he was Gods Favourite faithful in Gods House yet it was as a Servant but Christ he was not onely God's Favourite and not onely faithful in the house of God as a Servant but also as a Son 2. I am now come to shew you why he is called in my Text The Son of man There are several reasons for this 1. That being Man he might know our miseries and how he might succour them that are tempted which he could not have done had not God constituted him a faithful and a merciful High Priest in things appertaining to his Divine Majesty in order to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For it is irrational to conclude that this great design could have been effected had not Christ been in all things made like unto his brethren for by this means Jesus the Son of Man was made obnoxious to the like sufferings and temptations that man lies under and therefore being made like unto man in all things sin onely excepted he is able to support and carry us through temptations and succour us in the hour of trial It is a natural Maxim that none can be conceived to be more inclined to show compassion to those that are objects of pity than those that are and have been compassed with sorrows and temptations Hence it is that Christ took not on him the nature of Angels but the seeds of Abraham Heb. 2.16.17 18. For verily saith St. Paul he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took upon him the seed of Abraham that is he laid not hold of Angels as they fell and were carried away captive from him to save or rescue them from ruine or to bring them out of captivity but onely to men doth he extend this favour of rescuing and saveing them from ruine Wherefore saith the same Apostle ver 17. in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and a faithful high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconcilation for the sins of the people From which words we may see that it was not the design of God that Jesus Christ his Son by an Eternal eternal Generation should come in an Angelical guise or glory but in a humble suffering condition that he might be better qualified to have compassion on those who are in 〈◊〉 fall'n condition and the Sons of men are not thereby onely assured that Jesus Chriâ—â— as the Apostle stiled him Rom. 9.1 God blessed for ever will with all fidelity dischargâ— his
believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Now when it pleased God to direct Moses to make a Brazen Serpent and lift it up he did it not with an intent only of healing a few persons but that whosoever did look upon it should be healed by it Numb 21.8 So Christ who was sent into the World to save man was not sent to some few nor listed up on the Cross for some few but lifted up that all might look upon him with an eye of Faith and live Then consider the following Verse For God sent not his Son to condemn the World Now it is impossible to expound the word World here to be the Elect but all men who by sin were in a state of Condemnation till Jesus Christ came into the World therefore the taking the word world in this fence doth set forth and magnifie the love of our holy good God for certainly it can't appear so lovely in the apprehensions of men when intended but for a few in respect of the sons of Adam as when designed to be extended to all Again consider how God in all the Holy Scriptures hath been pleased to express himself to have abundance of grace sweetness love mercy pity and kindness to hate nothing that he hath made and wills the salvation of them that die and perish for ever look upon those compassionate expressions of his to the vilest of men Why will ye die ye House of Israel c. Now if we take the word world in its genuine latitude we shall find it to have an â—â—exact consistency with all those lively intimations nay demonstrations of those excellencies of the eternal God we find them confirmed in giving his Son to the world to save that which was lost otherwise we must of necessity judge that Jesus Christ did come in his own Name and not in the Name of the great God and to preach Doctrines of his own invention and not the Will of his Heavenly Father or else we must look upon God who â—s Truth it self to pretend very fairly to men in the Old Testament unkindly in the New 〈◊〉 And besides all this let us consider what the learned have said in all Ages upon this very Text now in debate see Gualter in his 20. Homily on the Gospel according to St. â—ohn Et hoe quidem clarius exprimit quando cos nominaturus quos it a dilexerit Deus non Abrahami aut Isaacci aut Jacobi aut Mosis aut Davidis Prophetarum Mariae virginis Apostoloâ—um deniq sanctorum martyrum meminit sed mundi quem totum in malo jacere Evangelist a â—oster testatur cujus principem esse diabolum ipse Christus non uno loâ—o affirmat From which words I do observe that this judicious and reverend Divine doth not terminate Gods â—ove to some few particular persons but according to the sence of our blessed Redeem â—r doth by the word world understand the generality of all Mankind and by this means â—oth rende Jesus Christ to speak that which was consistent with the Intentions Decrees â—nd Predeterminations of the most High God who before Christ did appear in the world had manifested himself o be gracious and merciful in pardoning sins and transgressions Quarâ— Salvator dictus est mundi saith St. Augustine speaking of Christ Nisi at mundum solver so that both modern and ancient Writers have with one consent upon these word now in hand viz. God so loved the world understood by the word world the whole posterity of fallen Adam who was the beginning of sin and entailed the misfortune of dying and being subject to sorrow upon his whole posterity which brings to mind that saying of S. Paul Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the feâ—â—gist came upon all men to justification of life see vers 19. For as by one mans disobedience many word made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous In which you may see two sorts of persons represented to your consideration the one condemned to death by reason of Adam's offence and the other justified to life by Christ our Lord Now who were they that were condemned they were no more than all and who were they that were justified no fewer than all in the other verse no more than many were made sinners by Adam nor any fewer than many made righteous by Christ God certainly suted the salve not only in respect of its quality but also in respect to its quantity to the sore the larger the malady was the larger extent the remedy was to be of therefore we may see the coextensiveness of the Grace of God in his Son Jesus in order to the justification of men with the sin of our first Parent in respect of the condemnation of men so that as we are induced to believe that by the disobedience of one many have been made sinners and so guilty of and liable unto death that is that all â—â—en as they come respectively to be conceived and born are now made liable to death by the disobedience of one being long since acted and should have perished for ever had â—ot the abundant grace of a good God prevented it so certainly it will appear and be â—ound true in due time that many even as many yea the self same both number and â—ersons in their successive conceptions also and comings into the world with those that â—re already past shall be made righteous that is have been and shall be delivered from â—â—e guilt of that sin and liableness to death by the obedience of one man that is by the â—bmissive deportment of Jesus Christ towards the most high and eternal God in yielding â—imself up to death From all which I draw this conclusion remembring the voice from â—eaven to St. Peter Acts 10.15 Call not thou common that which God hath cleansed that is not safe for any man to make that number less which God hath made greater nor 〈◊〉 assert a signal disproportion between two numbers which God hath computed and â—â—awn up to a perfect equality Another Text appears also ready to vindicate the truth of this Proposition now in â—bate and that is the words of St. Paul in his Epistle to Timothy 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. I â—hort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made 〈◊〉 all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that under them we may lead a quiet â—d peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviâ—r who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one â—d and one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransâ—â— for all In which words confider the duty enjoyned and that we find in the first