A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures, Text (7 of 9)

A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures · Text (7 of 9)

p. 257Fourthly, the great and glorious majeſty of God required 4it, that Chriſt ſhould be God: God the father being a God of infinite holineſs, purity, juſtice and righteouſneſs, none but he who was very God, who was eſſentially one with the father, could or durſt interpoſe John 10. 30. cap. 14. 9, 10, 11. &c.John 10:30between God and fallen man. The Angels, though they are glorious creatures, yet they are but creatures; and could theſe ſatisfie divine juſtice, and bear infinite wrath, and purchaſe divine favour, and reconcile us to God, and procure our pardon, and change our hearts, and renew our natures, and adorn our ſouls with Grace? p. 258and yet all theſe things muſt be done or we undone, and that for ever. Now if this were a work too high for Angels, then we may ſafely conclude, that it was a work too hard for fallen man. Man was once the mirrour of all underſtanding, the Hicroglyphick of Wiſdom; but now quantum mutatus ab illo? there is a great alteration, for poor ſorry man is now ſent to ſchool, to learn wiſdom and inſtruction of the beaſts, birds, and creeping things; he is ſent to the Piſmire to learn providence, Prov. 6. 6, To the Stork and to the Swallow to learn to make a right uſe of time, Jer. 8. 7. To the Oxe and the Aſs to learn knowledg, Iſa. 1. 3. And to the fowls of the Air to learn confidence, Mat. 6. Man that was once a maſter of knowledg, a wonder of underſtanding, perfect in the ſcience of all things, is now grown blockiſh, ſottiſh, and ſenſeleſs; and therefore altogether unfit and unable to make his peace with God, to reconcile himſelf to God, &c. But,

Fifthly, and laſtly, that Chriſt's ſufferings and merits 5might be ſufficient, it was abſolutely neceſſary that he ſhould be God. The ſin of man was infinite (I mean in finitely puniſhable) if not infinite in number, yet infinite in nature, every offence being infinite, it being committed againſt an infinite God. No creature could therefore ſatisfie for it, but the ſufferer muſt be God, that ſo his infiniteneſs might be anſwerable to the infiniteneſs of men's offences. There was an abſolute neceſſity of Chriſt's ſufferings, partly becauſe he was pleaſed to ſubſtitute himſelf in the ſinner's ſtead, and partly becauſe his ſufferings only could be ſatisfactory. Now unleſs he had been man how could he ſuffer, and unleſs he had been God, how could he ſatisfie offended Juſtice: Look as he muſt be more than man, that he may be able to ſuffer, that his ſufferings may be meritorious; ſo he muſt be man, that he may be in a capacity to ſuffer, die, and obey, for theſe are no work for one who is only God. A God only cannot ſuffer, a man only cannot merit; God cannot obey, man is bound to obey; wherefore Chriſt, that he might p. 259obey and ſuffer, he was man; and that he might merit by his obedience and ſuffering, he was God-man; juſt ſuch a perſon did the work of Redemption call for. That Chriſt's merits might be ſufficient he muſt be God, for ſufficient merit for Mankind could not be in the perſon of any mere man, no not in Chriſt himſelf conſidered only as man; for ſo all the grace he had he did receive it, and all the good he did he was bound to do it; for, he was made of a woman, and made under the Law (not only Gal. 4. 4.Gal 4:4under the Ceremonial Law as he was a Jew, but under the Moral as a man, for it is under that Law under which we were, and from which we are redeemed) therefore Gal. 3. 13.Gal 3:13in fulfilling it, he did no more than that which was his duty to do; he could not merit by it, no not for himſelf, much leſs for others (conſidered only as man) therefore he muſt alſo be God, that the dignity of his perſon might add dignity, and vertue, and value to his works: in a word, Deus potuit, ſed non debuit; homo debuit, ſed non potuit: God could, but he ſhould not; man ſhould, but he could not make ſatisfaction: therefore he that would do it muſt be both God and man: Torris erutus ab igne (as the Prophet ſpeaketh) Is not this a fire-brand taken out of the fire? you know that in a fire-brand taken out of the fire, there is fire and wood inſeparably mixed, and in Chriſt there is God and man wonderfully united. He was God, elſe neither his ſufferings nor his merits could have been ſufficient; and if his could not, much leſs any man's elſe: for all other men are both conceived and born in Original ſin, and alſo much and often defiled with actual ſin, and therefore we ought for ever to abhor all ſuch popiſh Doctrines, Prayers, and Maſſes for the dead, which exalt mans merits, man's ſatisfaction. For, no man can by Pſal. 49. 7. 8. v.Ps 49:7Ps 49:8any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ranſom for him; for the redemption of their ſoul is precious and it ceaſeth for ever. And therefore all the money that hath been given for Maſſes, Dirges, Trentals, &c. hath been caſt away for Jeſus Chriſt, who is God-man, is the only Redeemer, and in the other world money beareth no p. 260maſtery. Let me make a few inferences from what has been ſaid; and therefore,

Firſt, is it ſo that Chriſt is God-man, that he is God 1. 1 Pet. 1. 21.1 Pet 1:21and man, then let this raiſe our faith, and ſtrengthen our faith, in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, faith is built on God▪ Now Jeſus Chriſt is very God, and therefore the fitteſt foundation in the world for us to build our faith upon; God manifeſt in the fleſh is a firm baſis for faith and comfort. Heb. 7. 25. ad plenum, ſaith Eraſmus ad perfectum ſay others.Heb 7:25He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, Chriſt is a thorow Saviour, he ſaves perfectly, and he ſaves perpetually; he never carries on Redemption-work by halves: Chriſt being God as well as man, is able by the power of his Godhead to vanquiſh Death, Devils, Hell, and all the enemies of our Salvation; and by the power of his Godhead is able to merit pardon of ſin, the favour of God, the heavenly inheritance, and all the glory of the other world: for this dignity of his perſon addeth vertue and Acts 20. 28.Acts 20:28efficacy to his death and ſufferings, in that he that ſuffered and died was very God, therefore God is ſaid to have purchaſed the Church with his own blood; Chriſt having ſuffered in our nature which he took upon him, (that is in his humane ſoul and body) the wrath of God, the curſe, and all the puniſhments which were due to our ſins; hath paid the price of our Redemption, pacified divine wrath, and ſatisfied divine Juſtice, in the very ſame nature in which we have ſinned and provoked the holy one of Iſrael, ſo that now all believers may triumphingly ſay, There is no condemnation to us that are in R…m. 8. 1. v.Chriſt Jeſus: Chriſt having in our nature ſuffered the whole curſe and puniſhment due to our ſins, God cannot in juſtice but accept of his ſufferings, as a full and compleat ſatisfaction 1 John 1. 7, 9.1 John 1:71 John 1:9for all our ſins; ſo that now there remaineth no more curſe or puniſhment properly ſo called, for us to ſuffer either in our ſouls or bodies, either in this life or in the life to come, but we are certainly and fully delivered from all; not only from the eternal curſe, and all the puniſhments and torments of Hell, but alſo from the curſe and p. 261ſting of bodily death, and from all afflictions as they are 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56.1 Cor 15:551 Cor 15:56curſes and puniſhments of ſin, that Jeſus who is Godman, hath changed the nature of them to us, ſo that of bitter curſes and heavy puniſhments, they are become fatherly chaſtiſements, the fruits of divine love, and the Heb. 12. 5, 6, 7. Rev. 3. 19.Heb 12:5Heb 12:6Heb 12:7Rev 3:19promoters of the internal and eternal good of our ſouls. Oh! how ſhould theſe things ſtrengthen our faith in dear Jeſus, and work us to lean and ſtay our weary ſouls wholly and only upon him who is God-man, and who of God 1 Cor. 1. 30.1 Cor 1:30is made unto us wiſdom, righteouſneſs, ſanctification and redemption. Among the Evangeliſts we find, that Chriſt had a threefold entertainment among the ſons of men: ſome received him into houſe, not into heart, as Simon Luk. 7. 44.Luke 7:44the Phariſee, who gave him no kiſs, nor water to his feet; ſome neither into heart nor houſe, as the graceleſs Mat. 8. 34.Matt 8:34ſwiniſh Gergeſites, who had neither civility nor honeſty; ſome both into houſe and heart, as Lazarus, Mary, Martha, John 11. 16.John 11:16&c. certainly that Jeſus who is God-man deſerves the beſt room in all our ſouls, and the uppermoſt ſeat in all our hearts. But,

Secondly, If Jeſus Chriſt be God-man, very God and 2very man, then what high cauſe have we to obſerve, admire, wonder, and even ſtand amazed at the tranſcendent love of Chriſt in becoming man: Oh! the firſtneſs, the freeneſs, the unchangeableneſs, the greatneſs, the matchleſneſs of Chriſt's love to fallen man, in becoming man: men many times ſhew their love to one another, by hanging up one another's pictures in their families; but, ah, what love did Chriſt ſhew when he took our nature upon him, Heb. 2. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham; foreign, he aſſumed, apprehended, caught, laid hold on the ſeed of Abraham, as the Angel did on Lot, as Chriſt Gen. 19. 16.Gen 19:16did on Peter, or as men do upon a thing they are glad Mat. 14. 31.Matt 14:31they have got, and are loath to l…t go again. Oh ſirs, it is a main ground and pillar of our comfort and confidence, that Jeſus Chriſt took our fleſh, for if he had not took our fleſh upon him, we could never have been ſaved p. 262by him; Chriſt took not a part, but the whole nature of man; that is, a true humane ſoul and body, together with all the eſſential properties and faculties of both: that in man's nature he might die, and ſuffer the wrath of God, and whole curſe due to our ſins, which otherwiſe Heb. 2. 14.Heb 2:14being God only, he could never have done; and that he might ſatisfie divine juſtice for ſin, in the ſame nature that had ſinned, and indeed it was moſt meet and fit, that the Mediator, who was to reconcile God and man, ſhould partake in the natures of both parties to be reconciled. Oh, what matchleſs love was this, that made our dear Lord Jeſus, to lay by for a time all that glory, that he John 17. 5.John 17:5had with the father before the world was, and to aſſume our nature, and to be found in faſhion as a man, to ſee Phil. 2. 8.Phil 2:8the great God in the form of a ſervant, or hanging upon the Croſs, how wonderful and aſtoniſhing was it to all that believed him to be God-man; God manifeſted in 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 11.1 Tim 3:161 Pet 1:11our fleſh is an amazing myſtery, a myſtery fit for the ſpeculation of Angels, that the eternal God ſhould become 1 Tim. 2. 5.1 Tim 2:5the man Chriſt Jeſus, that a moſt glorious Creator ſhould Dan. 7. 9, 13, 22. Mat. 2. 11.Dan 7:9Dan 7:13Dan 7:22Matt 2:11become a poor creature, that the Ancient of days ſhould become an Infant of days, that the moſt high ſhould ſtoop ſo low as to dwell in a body of fleſh, is a glorious myſtery, that tranſcends all humane underſtanding. It would have ſeemed a high blaſphemy for us to have thought of ſuch a thing, or to have deſired ſuch a thing, or to have ſpoken of ſuch a thing, if God in his everlaſting Goſpel had not reveiled ſuch a thing to us: Among the Romiſh Prieſts, Friars, Jeſuits, they count it a great demonſtration of love, an high honour that is done to any of their orders, when any Noble man or great Prince (who is weary of the world, and the world weary of him) comes among them, and takes any of their habits upon him, and lives and dies in their habits: Oh, what a demonſtration of Chriſt's love is it! and what a mighty honour hath Jeſus Chriſt put upon mankind, in that he took our nature upon him, in that he lived in our nature, and died in our nature, and roſe in our nature, and aſcended p. 263in our nature, and now ſits at his fathers right hand in Acts 1. 10, 11.Acts 1:10Acts 1:11our nature! Though Jacob's love to Rachel, and Jonathan's love to David, and David's love to Abſolom, and the primitive Chriſtians love to one another was ſtrong, very ſtrong; yet Chriſt's love in taking our humane nature upon him does infinitely tranſcend all their loves. I think Bern. ſup. cant. ſer. 20.(ſaith one ſpeaking of Chriſt) he cannot deſpiſe me, who is bone of my bone, and fleſh of my fleſh …! for if he neglect me as a Brother, yet he will love me as a husband, that's my comfort. Oh my Saviour (ſaith one) didſt thou Hierom.die for love of me? a love more dolorous than death, but to me a death more lovely than love it ſelf; I cannot live, love, and be longer from thee: I read in Joſephus, that when J. ſ. Bel. Jud. l. 1. c. 8.Herod Antipater was accuſed to Julius Caeſar as no good friend of his, he made no other Apology, but ſtripping himſelf ſtark naked, ſhewed Caeſar his wounds, and ſaid, let me hold my tongue, theſe wounds will ſpeak for me how I have loved Caeſar: ah, my friends, Chriſt's wounds in our nature ſpeak out the admirable love of Jeſus Chriſt to us: and Oh, how ſhould this love of his draw out our love to Chriſt, & inflame our love to that Jeſus who is Godman bleſſed for ever. M^r. Welch a Suffolk-miniſter, weeping at table; being asked the reaſon, ſaid, it was becauſe he could love Chriſt no more: ah, what reaſon have we to weep, and weep again, and again, that we can love that Jeſus no more, who hath ſhewed ſuch unparalelled love to us in aſſuming of the humane nature! Et ipſam animam odio haberem, ſi non diligeret meum Jeſum, I muſt hate my very ſoul, if it ſhould not love my Jeſus, ſaith Bernard: ah, what cauſe have we given to hate our ſelves, becauſe we love that dear Jeſus no more who is very God and very man. But,

Thirdly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God-man, is he very God and 3. conſult heſe Scriptures, Iſa. 61. 1. Dan. 9. 24. 1 John 3. 8. Luk. 1. 74. 75. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 4.Isa 61:1Dan 9:241 John 3:8Luke 1:74Luke 1:75Titus 2:141 Pet 1:4very man? then we may very ſafely and roundly aſſert, that the work of Redemption was a very great work, the Redemption of ſouls is a mighty work, a coſtly work: to redeem poor ſouls from ſin, from wrath, from the power of Satan, from the curſe, from hell, from the condemnation, p. 264was a mighty work; wherefore was Chriſt born, wherefore did he live, ſweat, groan, bleed, die, riſe, aſcend; was it not to bring deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the priſon to them that are bound? was it not to make an end of ſin, to finiſh tranſgreſſion, and to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſs, and to deſtroy the works of the Devil, and to aboliſh death, and to bring life and immortality to light, and to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purifie us to himſelf, and to make us a peculiar peple zealous of good works? Certainly the work of Redemption was no ordinary or common thing; God-man muſt engage in it, or poor fallen man is undone for ever. The greater the perſon is that is engaged in any work, the greater is that work: the great Monarchs of the world do not uſe to engage their ſons in poor, low, mean, and petty ſervices, but in ſuch ſervices as are high and honourable, noble and weighty: and will you imagine that ever the great and glorious God John 1. 18. 8. Pro. 22.—33John 1:18John 1:8Prov 22would have ſent his ſon, his own ſon, his only begotten ſon, his boſom ſon, his ſon in whom his ſoul delighted before the foundations of the earth was laid; to redeem poor ſinners ſouls, if this had not been a great work, a high work, and a moſt glorious work in his eye. The Creation of the world did but coſt God a word of his mouth; Let there be light, and there was light; but the Redemption Gen. 1. 3.Gen 1:3of ſouls coſt him his deareſt ſon, there is a divine greatneſs ſtamp'd upon the works of providence, but what are the works of Providence to the work of Redemption? what are all providential works to Chriſt's coming from heaven, to his being incarnate, to his doings, ſufferings, and dying, and all this to ranſom poor ſouls from the curſe, hell, wrath, and eternal death? ſouls are dear and coſtly things, and of great price in the ſight of God. Amongſt the Romans, thoſe their proper goods and eſtates, which men had gotten in the wars with hazard of their lives, were called Peculium Caſtrenſe, of a Field-purchaſe Oh, how much more may the precious and immortal ſouls of men be called Chriſt's Peculium Caſtrenſe! his purchaſe, p. 265gotten not only by the jeopardy of his life, but with the loſs of his life and blood, Ye know (ſaith the Apoſtle) 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19.1 Pet 1:181 Pet 1:19that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as with ſilver and gold, from your vain converſation, received by tradition; but with the precious blood of the ſon of God, as of a lamb without a ſpot. Chriſt that only went to the price of ſouls, hath told us that one ſoul is more worth than Mat. 16. 26.Matt 16:26all the world: Chriſt left his father's boſom, and all the glory of heaven for the good of ſouls, he aſſumed the nature of man for the happineſs of the ſoul of man, he trod the Wine-preſs of his father's wrath for ſouls, he wept for ſouls, he ſwet for ſouls, he prayed for ſouls, he payed for ſouls, and he bled out his heart-blood for the redemption of ſouls. The ſoul is the breath of God, the beauty of man, the wonder of Angels, and the envy of Devils: 'tis of an Angelical nature, 'tis a heavenly ſpark, a celeſtial plant, and of a divine off-ſpring; 'tis capable of the knowledg of God, of union with God, of communion with John 14. 8. Pſal. 17. 15.John 14:8Ps 17:15God, and of an eternal fruition of God; there is nothing that can ſuit the ſoul below God, there is nothing that can ſatisfie the ſoul without God; the ſoul is ſo high and ſo noble a piece that it ſcorns all the world; what are all the riches of the Eaſt or Weſt-Indies? what are Rocks of Diamonds, or Mountains of Gold? or the price of Cleopatra's draught, to the price that Chriſt laid down for ſouls? 'tis only the blood of him that is God-man that is an equivolent price for the Redemption of ſouls. Silver and Gold hath redeemed many thouſands out of Turkiſh bondage, but all the Silver and Gold in the world could never redeem one poor ſoul from Helliſh bondage, from helliſh torments. Souls are a dear commodity, he that bought them found them ſo; and yet at how cheap a rate do ſome ſinners ſell their immortal ſouls. Callenuceus tells us of a noble man of Naples that was wont prophanely to ſay that he had two-ſouls in his body, one for God, and another for whoſoever would buy it; but if he hath one ſoul in Hell, I believe he will never find another for Heaven. A perſon of quality, who is ſtill alive, told me a p. 266few years ſince, that in diſcourſe with one of his ſervants, This pious Gentleman was with me in May, 1673. at my houſe.he asked him what he thought would become of his ſoul if he lived and died in his ignorance and enmity againſt God, &c. he moſt prophanely and atheiſtically anſwered, that when he died, he would hang his ſoul on a hedg, and ſay, run God run Devil, and he that can run faſteſt let him Diſcipul at de t…mp. Ser…. 132.take my ſoul. I have read of a moſt blaſphemous wretch, that on a time being with his companions in a common Inn, carrowſing and making merry, asked them if they thought a man had a ſoul or no; whereunto, when they replyed that the ſouls of men are immortal, and that ſome of them after death lived in hell and others in heaven; (For ſo the writings of the Prophets and Apoſtles inſtructed them) he anſwered, and ſwore, that he thought it nothing ſo, but rather that there was no ſoul in man to ſurvive the body, but that Heaven and Hell were mere fables and inventions of Prieſts to get gain; and for himſelf, he was ready to ſell his ſoul to any that would buy it: then one of his companions took up a cup of wine, and ſaid, ſell me thy ſoul for this cup of wine; which he receiving, We laugh at little children to ſee them part with rich Jewels for ſilly trifles, and yet daily experience tells us, that multitudes are ſo childiſh as to part with ſuch rich and precious Jewels as their immortal ſouls, for a luſt, or for baſe and unworthy trifles; of whom it may be truly ſaid as Auguſtus Caeſar ſaid in another caſe, they are like a man that fiſhes with a golden hook, the gain can never recompence the loſs that may be ſuſtained.bad him take his ſoul, and drank up the wine: Now Satan himſelf being there in man's ſhape, bought it again of the other at the ſame price, and by and by bad him give him his ſoul, the whole company affirming, it was meet he ſhould have it, ſince he had bought it, not perceiving the Devil; but preſently, he laying hold of this ſoul-ſeller, carried him into the Air before them all, to the great aſtoniſhment and amazement of the beholders; and from that day to this he was never heard of, but hath now found by experience that men have ſouls, and that Hell is no Fable. Ah, for what a thing of nought do many thouſands ſell their ſouls to Satan every day! how many thouſands are there who ſwear, curſe, lye, cheat, deceive, &c. for a little gain every day! I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear Jewels on their ſhooes: Oh, that in theſe days men did not worſe! Oh, that they did not trample under feet that matchleſs Jewel their precious and immortal ſouls! Oh ſirs, there is nothing below p. 267heaven ſo precious and noble as your ſouls, and therefore do not play the Courtiers with your poor ſouls: now the Courtier does all things late, he riſes late, and dines late, and ſups late, and goes to bed late, and repents late. Chriſt made himſelf an offering for ſin, that ſouls might not be undone by ſin, the Lord died that ſlaves might live, the ſon dies that ſervants might live, the natural ſon dies that adopted ſons may live, the only begotten ſon dies that baſtards might live, yea, the judg dies that Malefactors may live. Ah friends! as there was never ſorrow like Chriſt's, ſo there was never love like Chriſt's love; and of all his love, none to that of ſoul-love. Chriſt who is God-man did take upon him thy nature, and bare thy ſins, and ſuffered death, and encountered the Croſs, and was made a ſacrifice and a curſe, and all to bring about thy Redemption; and therefore thou maiſt ſafely conclude, that the work of Redemption is a great work. But,

Fourthly, is Jeſus Chriſt God-man? is he very God 4and very man? then let this encourage poor ſinners to come to Chriſt, to cloſe with Chriſt, to accept of Chriſt, to match into Chriſt, and to enter with a marriage union, and communion with Chriſt. The great work of Goſpel Miniſters is like that of Eliezer, Abraham's ſervant, Gen. 24.Gen 24to ſeek a match for our maſter's ſon: now our way to win you to him, is not only to tell you what he has, but what he is; now he is God-man in one perſon, he is man that you may not be afraid of him, and he is God Heb. 7. 25. Rev. 1. 5. cap. 17. 14. Heb. 1. 3. Pſal. 45. 1. Cant. 5. 10. 16.Heb 7:25Rev 1:5Heb 1:3Ps 45:1Song 5:10Song 5:16that he may be able to ſave you to the uttermoſt, he is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, he is the heir of all things, he is fairer than the Children of men, he is the chiefeſt of ten thouſand, he is altogether lovely, there is every thing in Jeſus who is God-man to encourage you to come to him: If you look upon his names, if you look upon his natures, if you look upon his offices, if you look upon his dignities, if you look upon his perſonal excellencies, if you look upon his mighty conqueſts, if you look upon his p. 268Royal attendance; all theſe things call aloud upon you, to come to Chriſt, to cloſe with Chriſt: if you look upon the great things that he has done for ſinners, and the hard things that he has ſuffered for ſinners, and the glorious things that he has prepared and laid up for ſinners; how can you but readily accept of him, and ſweetly embrace him: Though thou haſt no lovelineſs nor comlineſs, Ezek. 16. 4. 5. Iſa. 55. 1, 2.Ezek 16:4Ezek 16:5Isa 55:1Isa 55:2no beauty nor glory, though thou haſt not one penny in thy purſe, nor a rag to hang on thy back, yet if thou art but really and heartily willing to be divorced from all thy ſinful lovers, and accept of Chriſt for thy Sovereign Lord; he is willing that the match ſhould be made up Hoſes. 3. 3. Rev. 22. 17.Rev 22:17between thee and him: Now, ſhall Chriſt wooe you himſelf? ſhall he declare his willingneſs to take you with nothing? ſhall he engage himſelf to protect you, to maintain you, and at laſt, as a dowry, to beſtow heaven upon you? and will you refuſe him, will you turn your backs upon him? Oh ſirs, what could Chriſt have done that he has not done to do you good, and to make you happy for ever? Loe, he has laid aſide his glorious Robes, and he has put on your Rags, he has cloathed himſelf with your fleſh, he came off from his Royal Throne, he humbled himſelf to the death of the Croſs, and has brought Life, Immortality, and Glory to your very doors, and will you yet ſtand out againſt him? Oh how ſhall ſuch eſcape who neglect ſo great ſalvation, who ſay, this man Hel. 2. 3. Luk. 19. 14.Luke 19:14ſhall not rule over us, who tread under foot the ſon of God! Oh what wrath, what great wrath, what pure Heb. 10. 28. John. 3. ult.Heb 10:28John 3wrath, what infinite wrath, what everlaſting wrath is reſerved for ſuch perſons! doubtleſs Turks, Jews, and Pagans will have a cooler and a lighter Hell, than the deſpiſers John 5. 40. Mat. 23. 13, 14.John 5:40Matt 23:13Matt 23:14and rejecters of Chriſt; the great damnation is for thoſe that might have Chriſt, but would not; and no wonder, for the ſin of rejecting Chriſt is not chargeable upon the Devils. Ah ſinners, ſinners, that you would labour to underſtand more, and dwell more upon the preheminent excellencies of Chriſt; for till the ſoul can diſcern a better, a greater excellency in Chriſt than in any p. 269other thing, it will never yield to match with Chriſt: Oh labour every day more and more to take the heigth, and depth, and breadth of the excellency of Chriſt. He is the chiefeſt and the choiceſt of all, both in that upper, and in this lower world. The Godhead dwells bodily in him, he is full of grace, he is the heir of glory, the holy one of God, the brightneſs of his father's Image, the fountain of life, the well of ſalvation, and the wonder of heaven. Oh, when will you ſo underſtand the ſuperlative excellency of Chriſt, as to fall in love with him, as to cry out with the Martyr, O none but Chriſt, O none to Chriſt? It is your wiſdom, it is your duty, it is your ſafety, it is your glory, it is your ſalvation, it is your all to accept of Chriſt, to cloſe with Chriſt, and to beſtow your ſelves, your ſouls, your all on Chriſt; if you embrace him you are made for ever, but if you reject him you periſh for ever, Bernard calls Chriſt Sponſus ſanguinum, the Bridegroom of Bloods, becauſe he eſpouſed his Church to himſelf upon the bed of his Croſs, his head begirt with a pillow of Thorns, his body drench'd in a bath of his own blood: to turn your backs upon this Bridegroom of Bloods, will certainly coſt you the blood of your ſouls, and therefore look to it. But,

Fifthly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God-man? is he very God and 5. Coloſ. 1. 18. Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8, 9. 10. John 5. 23. This Text looks ſowerly on Jews, Turks, Papiſts, Socinians, and others.Col 1:18Phil 2:6Phil 2:7Phil 2:8Phil 2:9Phil 2:10John 5:23very man? O then honour him above all, Oh let him have the preeminence, exalt him as high as God the father hath exalted him; 'tis the abſolute will of the father that all ſhould honour his ſon, even as they honour himſelf: for he having the ſame nature and eſſence with the father, the father will have him have the ſame honour which he himſelf hath; which whoſoever denies to him reflects diſhonour upon the father, who will not bear any thing derogatory to the glory of his ſon: certainly there is due to Chriſt, as he is God-man, the higheſt reſpect, reverence, and veneration which Angels and men can poſſibly give unto him. Oh, look upon the Lord Jeſus as God; and according to that honour that is due to him as God, ſo muſt you honour him. The Apoſtle p. 270ſpeaks of ſome who, when they knew God they did not glorifie R…m. 1. 21.him as God; ſo ſeveral pretend to give ſome glory to Chriſt, but they do not glorifie him as God, Oh ſirs, this is that which you muſt come up to, viz. to honour Chriſt in ſuch a manner as may be ſuitable to his natures, and as he is the infinite, bleſſed, and eternal God; and ah what honour can be high enough for ſuch a perſon. Chriſt's honour was very dear to him, who ſaid, Lord, uſe Bernard.me for thy ſhield to keep off thoſe wounds of diſhonour, which elſe would fall on thee. Luther in an Epiſtle to Spalatinus, ſaith, they call me a Devil, but be it ſo, ſo long as Chriſt is magnified, I am well apayed. The inanimate creatures are ſo compliant with his pleaſure, that they will thwart their own nature to ſerve his honour: fire will deſcend (as on Sodom and Gomorrah) and water, Gen. 19. Exod. 14. 22.Gen 19Exod 14:22though a fluid body, ſtand up like a ſolid wall (as in the Red Sea) if he do but ſpeak the word. Oh, let not the inanimate creatures one day riſe in judgment againſt us for not giving Chriſt his due honour; if we honour Chriſt, we ſhall have honour, that is, a bargain of Chriſt's own making; but if we diſhonour him, he will put diſhonour 1 Sam. 2. 30.1 Sam 2:30upon us, as Scripture and Hiſtory in all Ages do ſufficiently evidence: in Hiſtory we read of an Impoſtor that gave it out that he was that ſtar which Balaam propheſied N…m. 24. 17.of, which was a Prophecy of Chriſt; this fellow called himſelf Ben-chomar, the ſon of a Star: this man profeſſed himſelf to be Chriſt, but he was ſlain with thunder and lightning from heaven, and then the Jews called him Ben-coſmar, which ſignifieth the ſon of a lye. Learned Synag. Julaics, cap. 5. & 36.Buxtorf tells us, that the Jews call Chriſt Bar-chozabb, the ſon of a lye, a Baſtard; and his Goſpel Aven-gelaion, the Volume of lyes, or the Volume of iniquity: and hath not God been a revenging this upon them for above this ſixteen hundred years. Rabbi Samuel, who long ſince writ a Tract in form of an Epiſtle to Rabbi Iſaac, Maſter of the Synagogue of the Jews; wherein he doth excellently diſcuſs the cauſe of their long Captivity and extreme miſery, and after that he had proved it was inflicted for ſome p. 271grievous ſin, he ſheweth that ſin to be the ſame which Amos ſpeaks of. For three tranſgreſſions of Iſrael, and for Amos. 2. 6.Amos 2:6four, I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof, becauſe they ſold the righteous for ſilver, and the poor for a pair of ſhooes: The ſelling of Joſeph he makes the firſt ſin, the worſhipping the Calf in Horeb the ſecond ſin, the abuſing and killing God's Prophets the third ſin, and the ſelling of Jeſus Chriſt the fourth ſin: For the firſt they ſerved four hundred years in Egypt, for the ſecond they wandred forty years in the Wilderneſs, for the third they were Captives ſeventy years in Babylon, and for the fourth they are held in pitiful Captivity, even to this very-day. Oh, how ſeverely has God reveng'd the wrongs and indignities done to Chriſt the Lord, by this miſerable people to this very hour! and yet, Oh, the ſeveral ways, wherein this poor people do every day expreſs their malice and hatred againſt the Lord Jeſus! Oh, pray, pray hard, that the veil may be taken away that has been ſo long before their eyes. Herod impriſons Peter, and killeth Act. 12. 1, 2, 3, 4,Acts 12:1Acts 12:2Acts 12:3Acts 12:4James with the ſword, this God puts up, but when he comes to uſurp the honour due to Chriſt, he muſt die verſ. 23.for it: Herod might more ſafely take away the liberty of one, and the life of another, than the glory due to Chriſt: long before his death, being in chains, he met with a ſtrange Omen; For as he ſtood bound before the Palace, Joſephus of the Antiquities of the Jews, lib. 18. pag. 475. 476.leaning dejectedly upon a tree, among many others that were priſoners with him, an Owl came, and ſat down in that Tree to which he leaned; which a German ſeeing, being one of thoſe that ſtood there bound, he asked who he was that was in the Purple, and leaned there; and underſtanding who he was, he told him of his enlargment, promotion to honour, and proſperity; and that when he ſhould ſee that bird again, he ſhould die within five days after. Now when Herod had impriſoned Peter, and ſlain James with the ſword, he went down to Caeſarea, and there he made ſports and ſhows in honour of Ceſar; and Pag. 510. 511.on the ſecond day being moſt gorgeouſly apparelled, and the Sun ſhining very bright upon his Robe of Silver, his p. 272flatterers ſaluted him for a God, and cryed out to him; Be merciful unto us, hitherto have we feared thee as a man, but hence forward we will acknowledg thee to be of a nature more excellent than mortal frailty can attain to: the wretched King reproved not this abominable flattery, but was well pleaſed with it; and not long after he eſpyed the Owl which the German had foretold to be the Omen of his death: And ſuddenly he was ſeized with miſerable gripings in his belly, which came upon him with vehement extremity; whereupon, turning himſelf towards his friends; ſaith, Loe, he whom ye eſteem for a God is doomed to die, and deſtiny ſhall evidently confute you, in thoſe flattering and falſe ſpeeches which you lately uſed concerning me; for I, who have been adored by you as one immortal, am now under the hands of death: and his griefs and torments increaſing, his death drew on apace: whereupon he was removed into the Palace, and all the people put on Sack-cloth, and lay on the ground, praying for him; which he beholding, could not refrain from tears: and ſo after five days he gave up the Ghoſt. Thus you ſee how dearly they have paid for it, that have not given Chriſt his due glory; and let theſe inſtances of his wrath alarm all your hearts ſo, that we may make more conſcience than ever, of ſetting the Crown of honour only upon Chriſt's head, for he only is worthy of all honour, glory and praiſe, Rev. 14. 10, 11. But,

Sixthly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God-man? is he very God and 6very man? then from hence, as in a glaſs, you may ſee the true Reaſons why the death and ſufferings of Chriſt, though ſhort, very ſhort, yet have a ſufficient power and vertue in them to ſatisfie God's juſtice, to pacifie his wrath, to procure our pardon, and to ſave our immortal ſouls, viz. becauſe of the dignity of his perſon that died and ſuffered for us; the ſon of God, yea, God himſelf: there was an infinite vertue and value in all his ſufferings, hence his Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. Gal. 4. 4, 5, 6.Heb 9:141 Pet 1:19Acts 20:28Gal 4:4Gal 4:5Gal 4:6blood is called precious blood, yea the blood of God: did man tranſgreſs the Royal Law of God? behold God himſelf p. 273is become a man, to make up that breach, and to Rom. 8. 2, 3, 4.Rom 8:2Rom 8:3Rom 8:4ſatisfie divine Juſtice to the uttermoſt farthing: for the man Chriſt Jeſus to ſtand before the bar of the Law, and to make full and compleat reparation to it, was the higheſt honour that ever was done to the Law of God: this is infinitely more pleaſing and delightful to divine Juſtice, than if all the curſes of the Law had been poured out upon fallen man; and than if the Law had built up its honour upon the deſtruction of the whole Creation. To ſee one Sun clouded is much more than to ſee the Moon and all the Stars in Heaven overcaſt: Chriſt conſidered as God-man was great, very great; and the greater his perſon was, the greater were his ſorrows, his ſufferings, his Iſa. 53.Isa 53humiliation, his compaſſion, his ſatisfaction to divine Juſtice; had not Chriſt been God-man, he could never have been an able ſurety, he could never have paid our Heb. 7. 25.Heb 7:25debts, he could never have ſatisfied divine Juſtice, he could never have brought in an everlaſting righteouſneſs, Dan. 9. 24.Dan 9:24he could never have ſpoiled Principalities and Powers; C…l…ſ. 2. 15.and made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing over them on the Croſs (a plain alluſion to the Roman Triumphs; where the Victor aſcending up to the Capitol in a Charriot of ſtate, all the priſoners following him on foot with their hands bound behind them, and the Victor commonly threw certain pieces of Coyn abroad to be pick'd up by the common people. So Chriſt, in the day of his ſolemn inauguration into his heavenly Kingdom, triumphed over Sin, Death, Devils, and Hell, and gave gifts to men:) and had he not been God-man, he could never have merited for us a glorious Reward. If we conſider Chriſt himſelf as a mere man (ſetting aſide his Godhead) Eph. 4. 8…Eph 4:8he could not merit by his ſufferings: for, 1. Chriſt as he was man only, was a creature; now a mere creature can merit nothing from the Creator. 2. Chriſt's ſufferings, as he was man only, were finite, and therefore could not merit infinite glory: indeed as he was God, his ſufferings were meritorious; but conſider him purely as man, they were not. This is wiſely to be obſerved againſt the p. 274Papiſts, who make ſo great a noiſe of men's merits; for if Chriſt's ſufferings, as he was mere man, could not merit the leaſt favour from God, then what mortal man is able to merit, at the hand of God, the leaſt of mercies by his greateſt ſufferings? But,

Seventhly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God-man? is he very God 7and very man? then, from hence we may ſee the greateſt pattern of humility and ſelf-denyal, that ever was, or will be in this world; that he who was the Lord of glory, that he who was equal with God, that he ſhould Phil. 2. 6. John 1. 18.Phil 2:6John 1:18leave the boſom of his father, which was a boſom of the ſweeteſt loves, and the moſt ineffable delights, that he ſhould put off all that glory that he had with the father, John 17. 5.John 17:5before the foundation of the world was laid, that he ſhould ſo far abaſe himſelf as to become man, by taking on him our baſe, vile nature, that ſo in this our nature he Heb. 2. 10.Heb 2:10might dye, ſuffer, ſatisfie, and bring many ſons to glory: Oh, here, is the greateſt humility and abaſement that ever was; and oh, that all ſincere Chriſtians would endeavour to imitate this matchleſs example of humility and ſelf denial. Oh, the admirable condeſcentions of dear Jeſus, that he ſhould take our nature, and make us partakers 2 Pet. 1. 4.2 Pet 1:4of his divine nature; that he ſhould put on our rags, and put upon us his Royal Robes; that he ſhould Rev. 19. 7, 8. 2 Cor. 8. 9.Rev 19:7Rev 19:82 Cor 8:9make himſelf poor, that we might be rich; low, that we might be high; accurſed, that we might be bleſſed! Gal. 3. 10, 13.Gal 3:10Gal 3:13Oh wonderful Love, oh Grace unſearchable! ah Chriſtians, did Chriſt ſtoop low? and will your be ſtout, proud, and high? was he content to be accounted a worm, a wine-bibber, an enemy to Caeſar, a friend of Publicans and ſinners, a Devil? and muſt you be all in a flame, when vain men make little account of you? was he willing to be a curſe, a reproach for you? and will you ſhrug, and ſhrink, and faint, and fret, when you are reproached for his name? did Jeſus Chriſt ſtoop ſo low, as John 13. 14.John 13:14to waſh his Diſciples feet? and are you ſo ſtout and ſturdy, that you cannot hear together, nor pray together, nor ſit at the table of the Lord together, though you all hope, p. 275at laſt, to ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, in Mat. 8. 11. v.Matt 8:11the Kingdom of Heaven? ſhall one Heaven hold you at laſt; and ſhall not one Houſe, one Bed, one Table, one Church hold you here? Oh, that ever worms ſhould ſwell with ſuch intolerable pride and ſtoutneſs: he who was God-man, was lowly, meek, ſelf-denying, and of a moſt condeſcending ſpirit; and oh, that all you, who hope for ſalvation by him, would labour to write after ſo fair a copy. Bernard calls humility a ſelf-annihilation: The ſame Author ſaith that humility is conſervatrix virtutum. Thou wilt ſave the humble, ſaith Job; in the Hebrew Job 22. 20. foreignJob 22:20it is, him that is of low eyes: an humble Chriſtian hath lower thoughts of himſelf than others can have of him; Abraham is duſt and aſhes in his own eyes, Jacob is Gen. 18. Gen. 32. 10.Gen 18Gen 32:10leſs than the leaſt of all mercies, David, though a great King, yet looks upon himſelf as a worm; I am a worm, Pſal. 22. 6.Ps 22:6and no man. The word in the Original, Tolugnath, ſignifieth a very little worm, which breedeth in Scarlet; a worm that is ſo little, that a man can hardly ſee it or perceive it: Oh, how little, how very little was David in his own eyes! and Paul, who was the greateſt among the Apoſtles; yet, in his own eyes, he was leſs than the Eph. 3. 8. See my unſearchabletiches of Chriſt upon that Text.Eph 3:8leaſt of all Saints. Non ſum dignus dici minimus, ſaith Ignatius, I am not worthy to be called the leaſt: Lord, I am Hell, but thou art Heaven, ſaid bleſſed Cooper: I am a moſt hypocritical wretch, not worthy that the earth ſhould bear me, ſaid holy Bradford: Luther, in humility, ſpeaks thus of himſelf; I have no other name than ſinner, ſinner is my name, ſinner is my ſurname, this is the name by which I ſhall be always known; I have ſinned, I do ſin, I ſhall ſin, in infinitum. Ah, how can proud, ſtout ſpirits read theſe inſtances, and not bluſh: certainly the ſincere humble Chriſtian is like the Violet, which grows low, hangs the head down, and hides it ſelf with its own leaves; and were it not that the frequent ſmell of his many virtues diſcovers him to the world, he would chuſe to live and die in his ſelf-contenting ſecrecy. But,

p. 276Eighthly, Is Jeſus Chriſt Godman? is he very God 8and very man? then hence we may ſee how to have acceſs to God; namely, by means of Chriſt's humane nature, which he hath taken upon him, to that very end, that he might in it die and ſuffer for our ſins, and ſo reconcile Rom. 5. 1, 2. Eph. 3. 12.Rom 5:1Rom 5:2Eph 3:12us to God, and give us acceſs to him, Eph. 2. 18. By him we have acceſs to the father. The word is foreign, a leading by the hand, an introduction, an adduction: it is an alluſion (ſaith Eſtius) to the cuſtoms of Princes, Eph. 1.Eph 1to whom there is no paſſage, unleſs we are brought in by one of their Favourites. Though the Perſian Kings held it a piece of their ſilly glory to hold off their beſt friends, who might not come near them, but upon ſpecial licence: yet the great King of Heaven and Earth counts it his glory, to give us free acceſs at all times, in all places, and upon all occaſions, by the man Chriſt Jeſus; 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one mediator between God and us, even the man Chriſt Jeſus. Chriſt was made true man, that in our nature he might reconcile us to God, and give us acceſs to God, which he could never have done, had he not been very God and very man; without the humane nature of Chriſt, we could never have had acceſs to God, or fellowſhip with God; being by nature enemies to God, Rom. 5. 10. Eph. 2. 1. 12, 13, 14.Rom 5:10Eph 2:1Eph 2:12Eph 2:13Eph 2:14and eſtranged from God, and dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. 'Tis only by the mediation of Chriſt incarnate, that we come to be reconciled to God, to have acceſs to him, and 1 John 1. 1, 2, 3.1 John 1:11 John 1:21 John 1:3acceptance with him; in Chriſt's humane nature God and we meet together, and have fellowſhip together. It could never ſtand with the unſpotted holineſs and juſtice of God, who is a conſuming fire; to honour us with one Heb. 12. 29.Heb 12:29caſt of his countenance, or one hours communion with himſelf, were it not upon the account of the man Chriſt Jeſus; the leaſt ſerious thought of God out of Chriſt, will breed nothing in the ſoul, but horrour and amazement; which made Luther ſay, Nolo Deum abſolutum, let me have nothing to do with an abſolute God. Believers have free and bleſſed acceſs to God, but ſtill 'tis upon the credit of the man Chriſt Jeſus; Let us come boldly to the throne p. 277Heb. 4. 15. 16.Heb 4:15Heb 4:16of Grace (ſaith the Apoſtle, ſpeaking of Chriſt) that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need the Apoſtles phraſe is foreign, a word which ſignifies liberty of ſpeech, and boldneſs of face; as when a man with a bold and undaunted ſpirit, utters his mind before the great ones of the world without bluſhing, without weakneſs of heart, without ſhaking of his voice, without imperfection and faltring in ſpeech, when neither Majeſty nor Authority can take off his courage, ſo as to ſtop his mouth, and make him afraid to ſpeak; with ſuch heroick and undaunted ſpirits would the Apoſtle have us to come to the Throne of Grace, and all upon the credit of Chriſt our High Prieſt, who is God-man. But,

Ninthly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God-man, is he very God and 9. Ezek. 35. 10, 11, 12, 13. Iſa. 37. 23, 24.Ezek 35:10Ezek 35:11Ezek 35:12Ezek 35:13Isa 37:23Isa 37:24very man? then you may be very confident of his ſympathizing with you in all your afflictions, then this may ſerve as a foundation to ſupport you under all your troubles, and as a Cordial to comfort you under all your afflictions, in that Chriſt partaking of the ſame nature, and having had experience of the infirmities of it, he is the more able and willing to help and ſuccour us; Heb. 2. 17. wherefore As the Brazen Serpent was like the fiery ſerpent, but had no ſting.in all things it behoveth him to be like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high prieſt in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people: ſo, Heb. 4. 15. If one come to viſit a man that is ſick of a grievous diſeaſe, who hath himſelf been formerly troubled with the ſame diſeaſe, he will ſympathize more, and ſhew more compaſſion than twenty others, who have not felt the like: ſo here, from Chriſt's ſufferings in his humane nature, we may ſafely gather, that he will ſhew himſelf a merciful high Prieſt to us in our ſufferings, and one that will be ready to help and ſuccour us in all our afflictions and miſeries, which we ſuffer in this life, in as much as himſelf had experience of ſuffering the like in our nature; for in that he himſelf hath ſuffered, being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted: and this ſhould be a ſtaff to ſupport us, and a cordial to comfort us in all our ſorrows and miſeries. It is between p. 278Chriſt and his Church, as it is between two lute ſtrings that are tuned one to another; no ſooner is one ſtruck, If weperiſh Chriſt perſheth with us, Lu…her.but the other trembles; Iſa. 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted: Theſe words may be read interrogatively, thus, was he in all their afflictions afflicted? Chriſt took to heart the afflictions of his Church, he was himſelf grieved for them, and with them. The Lord, the better to allure and draw his people to himſelf, ſpeaks after the manner of men; attributing to himſelf all the affection, love, and fatherly compaſſion, that can poſſibly be in them, to men in miſery: Chriſt did ſo ſympathize with his people in all their afflictions and ſufferings, as if he himſelf had felt the weight, the ſmart, the pain of them all; he was in all things made like unto his brethren; not only in nature, but alſo in infirmities, and ſufferings, and by all manner of temptations, that thereby he might be able (experimentally) to ſuccour them that are tempted: he Zech. 2. 8. Iſhon of Iſh, It is here called Bath, the daughter of the eye, becauſe it is as dear to a man as his only daughter. Act. 9. 4. Mat. 25. 35, 36.Zech 2:8Acts 9:4Matt 25:35Matt 25:36that toucheth them, toucheth not only his eye, but the apple of his eye, which is the tendereſt piece of the tendereſt part; to expreſs the inexpreſſible tenderneſs of Chriſt's compaſſion towards them: let perſecutors take heed how they meddle with God's eyes, for he will retaliate eye for eye, Exod. 21. 24. he is wiſe in heart, and mighty in ſtrength, and ſinners ſhall one day pay dear for touching the apple of his eye. Chriſt counts himſelf perſecuted when his Church is perſecuted; Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou me: And he looks upon himſelf as hungry, thirſty, naked, and in priſon, when his members are ſo; ſo greatly does he ſympathize with them: hence the afflictions of Chriſtians are called foreign, the remainders of the afflictions of Chriſt: ſuch as Chriſt, by his fellow-feeling, ſuffereth in his members, and as they by correſpondency are to fill up, as exerciſes and tryals of their faith and patience, Chriſt gave many evidences of his ſympathy, or fellow-feeling of our infirmities when he was on earth; as he groaned in his ſpirit, John, 11. 33.and was troubled; when he ſaw thoſe that wept for Lazarus, verſ. 35. Luk. 19. 41.Luke 19:41he wept alſo; as he did over Jeruſalem alſo: It p. 279is often obſerved in the Goſpel, that Chriſt was moved with compaſſion; and that he frequently put forth acts of pity, mercy, and ſuccour to thoſe that were in any diſtreſs, either in body or ſoul. Chriſt retaineth this ſympathy and fellow-feeling with us, now he is in Heaven; and doth ſo far commiſerate our diſtreſſes, as may ſtand with a glorified condition: Jeſus Chriſt grieves for the afflictions of his people; the angel of the Lord anſwered and Zach. 1. 12.Zech 1:12ſaid, O Lord of hoſts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jeruſalem; the Angel here is that Jeſus, who is our Advocate 1 John 2. 1, 2.1 John 2:11 John 2:2with the father, he ſpeaks as one intimately affected with the ſtate and condition of poor Jeruſalem: Chriſt plays the Advocate for his ſuffering people; and feelingly pleads for them, he being afflicted in all their afflictions, it moved him to obſerve, that God's enemies were in a better caſe than his people; and this put him upon that paſſionate expoſtulation, O Lord of hoſts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jeruſalem. Alexander the great applied his Crown to the ſouldiers forehead that had received a wound for him: and Conſtantine the great kiſſed the hollow of Paphnutius eye, that he had loſt for Chriſt: what an honour was it to the ſouldier and to Paphnutius, that theſe great men ſhould have fellow-feeling of their ſufferings, and ſympathize with them in their ſorrows? but, oh then, what an honour is it to ſuch poor worms as we are, that Jeſus Chriſt, who is Godman, who is the Prince of the Kings of the earth, that he ſhould have a fellow-feeling Rev. 1. 5.Rev 1:5of all our miſeries, and ſympathize with us in all our troubles! But,

Tenthly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God-man, is he very God and 11very man? then, from hence you may ſee the excellency of Chriſt above man, above all other men, yea, above Adam in innocency. Chriſt, as man, was perfect in all graces, Iſa. 11. 1, 2. And there ſhall come forth a rod out of the ſtem of Jeſſe, and a branch ſhall grow out of his roots; and the ſpirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him, the ſpirit of wiſdom and underſtanding, the ſpirit of counſel and might, the ſpirit of knowledg, and of the fear of the Lord. God p. 280gave the ſpirit of wiſdom to him not by meaſure; and Joh. 3. 34. Luk. 2. 46, 47.John 3:34Luke 2:46Luke 2:47therefore, at twelve years of age you find him in the Sanedrim, diſputing with the Doctors, and asking them queſtions, 1 John, 16. and of his fulneſs have all we received grace for grace; Col. 1. 19. for it pleaſed the father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell; cap. 2. 3. In whom are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledg. The ſtate of innocency was an excellent eſtate, it was an eſtate of Gen. 1. 27. Eph. 4. 22, 23, 24.Gen 1:27Eph 4:22Eph 4:23Eph 4:24perfect holineſs and righteouſneſs, by his holineſs he was carried out to know the Lord, to love the Lord, to delight in the Lord, to fear the Lord, and to take him as his chiefeſt good. A legal holineſs conſiſts in an exact, perfect, and compleat conformity in heart and life, to the whole reveiled will of God; and this was the holineſs that Adam had in his innocency, and this holineſs was immediately derived from God, and was perfect: Adam's holineſs was as co-natural to him, as unholineſs is now to us; Adam's holineſs was as natural, and as pleaſing, and as delightful to him, as any way of unholineſs can be natural, pleaſing, and delightful to us, The eſtate of innocency was an eſtate of perfect wiſdom, knowledg and underſtanding; witneſs the names that Adam gave to Gen. 2. 20.Gen 2:20all the creatures, ſuitable and appoſite to their natures; The eſtate of innocency was an eſtate of great honour and dignity: David brings in Adam in his innocent eſtate with a Crown upon his head, and that Crown was a Crown of glory and honour; thou haſt crowned him with glory and Pſal. 8. 5.Ps 8:5honour, his place was little lower than the Angels, but far above all other creatures, The eſtate of innocency, it was an eſtate of great Dominion and Authority, man being made the Soveraign Lord of the whole Creation: Pſal. 8. 6, 7, 8.Ps 8:6Ps 8:7Ps 8:8we need not ſtand to enlarge upon one parcel of his demeſns; namely, that which they call Paradiſe, ſith the Gen. 1. 26.Gen 1:26whole both of Sea and Land, and all the creatures in both, were his Poſſeſſion, his Paradiſe: certainly man's firſt eſtate was a ſtate of perfect and compleat happineſs; there being nothing within him, but what was deſirable; nothing without him, but what was amiable; and nothing p. 281about him, but what was ſerviceable and comfortable: and yet Jeſus Chriſt, who is God-man, is infinitely more glorious and excellent than ever Adam was; for Adam was ſet in a mutable condition, but Chriſt is the Rock of Ages, he is ſtedfaſt, and abiding for ever; he is yeſterday, Heb. 13. 8.Heb 13:8and to day, and the ſame for ever; he is the ſame afore time, in time, and after time; he is the ſame, that is, unchangeable in his Eſſence, Promiſes, and Doctrine; Chriſt is the ſame in reſpect of vertue, and the faith of believers; even his Manhood, before it was in being, was cloathed with perfection of grace, and ſo continueth for ever. And again, Adam was a mere man, and alone by himſelf; but in Chriſt the humane nature was hypoſtatically united unto the divine; and hence it comes to paſs, that Chriſt, even as man, had a greater meaſure of knowledg and revelation of Grace, and heavenly gifts, than ever Adam had. The Apoſtle tells us, that in Chriſt dwells all the fulneſs of the Godhead, foreign, bodily, that is eſſentially; that is, not by a naked and bare communicating of vertue, as God is ſaid to dwell in his Saints; but by a ſubſtantial union of the two natures, divine and humane, the eternal word and the man, conſiſting of ſoul and body, whereby they become one, foreign, one perſon, one ſubſiſtence. Now from this admirable and wonderful union of the two natures in Chriſt, there flows to the Manhood of Chriſt a plenitude and fulneſs of all ſpiritual Wiſdom and Grace, ſuch as was never found in any mere man, no, not in Adam whileſt he ſtood in his integrity and uprightneſs. But,

Eleventhly, Is Jeſus Chriſt God man? is he very God 11and very man? then this truth looks very ſowrly and frowningly upon all ſuch as deny the Godhead of Chriſt; as Arrians, Turks, Jews; how many be there in this City, in this Nation, who ſtiffly deny the Divinity of Chriſt, and diſpute againſt it, and write againſt it, and blaſpheme that great truth, without which, I think, a man may ſafely ſay, there is no poſſibility of ſalvation. In ancient times, near unto the Age of the Apoſtles, this p. 282Doctrine of Chriſt's Godhead, and Eternal Generation from the father, was greatly oppoſed by ſundry wicked and blaſphemous Hereticks, as Ebion, Cerinthus, Arrius, &c, who ſtirred up great troubles, and bloody Perſecutions againſt the Church: for maintaining this great truth of Chriſt's Godhead, they aſſerted that Chriſt had no true ſleſh; 'twas only the likeneſs of fleſh which he appeared in, and that his body was only a phantaſtick imaginary body; but had the body of Chriſt been only ſuch a body; then his conception, nativity, death, reſurrection, are all too, but imaginary things; and then, his ſufferings and crucifiction are but mere fancies too; and if ſo, then what would become of us, what would become of our ſalvation; then our faith would be in vain, and our hope would be in vain, and our hearing, preaching, praying, and receiving, would all be in vain; yea, then all our Religion would vaniſh into a m…re fancy alſo: when a man's conſcience is awakened to ſee his ſin and miſery. and he ſhall find guilt to lay like a load upon his ſoul, and when he ſhall ſee that divine juſtice is to be ſatisfied, and divine wrath to be pacified, and the curſe to be born, and the Law to be fulfilled, and his nature to be renewed, his heart to be changed, and his ſins to be pardoned, or …lſ… his ſoul can never be ſaved: how can ſuch a perſon venture his ſoul, his all, upon one that is but a m…re crcature? certainly, a mere man is no Rock, no City of refuge, and no ſure foundation for a man to build his faith and hope upon, woe to that man, that ever he was born, that has no Jeſus, but a Socinian's Jeſus to reſt upon: oh, 'tis ſad truſting to one, who is man, but not God; fleſh, but not ſpirit: as you love the eternal ſafety of your precious ſouls, and would be happy for ever; as you would eſcape Hell, and get to Heaven, lean on none, reſt on none, but that Jeſus who is God-man, who is very God and very man. Apollinaris held, that Chriſt took not the whole nature of man, but a humane body only, without a ſoul, and that the Godhead was inſtead of a ſoul to the Manhood. Alſo Eutyches, who confounded the two natures p. 283of Chriſt, and their properties, &c. Alſo Apelles and the Manichees, who denied the true humane body; and held him to have an aerial or imaginary body. Though the popular ſort deified Alexander the great; yet, having Plutarch, in vita.got a clap with an Arrow, he ſaid, ye ſtile me Jupiter's ſon, as if immortal; ſed hoc vulnus clamat eſſe hominem; this blood that iſſues from the wound proves me in the iſſue, a man: this is, foreign, the blood of man, not of God, and ſmelling the ſtench of his own fleſh, he asked his flatterers if the God's yielded ſuch a ſcent: ſo may it be ſaid of Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour, though Myriads of Angels and Saints acclaim he is a God, ergo, immortal; and a crew of Hereticks diſclaim him to be man, as the Marcionites averred that he had a phantaſtical body, and Apelles, who conceived that he had a ſydereal ſubſtance, yet the ſtreams of blood following the arrow of death, that ſtruck him, makes it good, that he was perfect man; of a reaſonable ſoul and humane fleſh ſubſiſting. And as this truth looks ſowerly upon the above mentioned perſons, ſo it looks ſowerly upon the Papiſts; who, by their Doctrine of the real preſence of Chriſt's body in the Sacrament, do overthrow one of the properties of his humane nature, which is to be but in one place preſent at once. This truth alſo looks ſowerly upon the Lutherans or Ubiquitaries, who teach, that Chriſt's humane nature is in all places by vertue of the perſonal union, &c. I wonder that of all the old Errours, ſwept down into this latter Age, as into a ſink of time, this of the Socinians and Arrians ſhould be held forth among the reſt: O ſirs, beware of their Doctrines, ſhun their meetings, and perſons that come to you with the denial of the Divinity of Chriſt in their mouths: this was John's Doctrine and Practiſe. Irenaeus ſaith, that after he was returned from his baniſhment, and came to Epheſus, he came to bathe himſelf, and in the bath he found Cerinthus, that ſaid, Chriſt had no being, till he received it from the Virgin Mary; upon the ſight of whom, John skipped out of the Bath, and called his companions from thence; ſaying, let us go p. 284from this place, leſt the Bath ſhould fall down upon us, becauſe Cerinthus is in it, that is ſo great an enemy to God. ye ſee his Doctrine, ſee his words too, 2 John, 10, 11. If any come to you, having not this doctrine receive him not into your houſe, neither bid him God ſpeed: For he that biddeth him God ſpeed, is partaker of his evil deeds. What that Doctrine was, if you caſt your eye upon the Scripture, you ſhall find it to be the Doctrine of the Divinity of Chriſt: ſhew no love where you owe nothing but hatred; I hate every Pſal. 119. 113.Ps 119:113falſe way, ſaith David: And, I ſhall look upon Auxentius as upon a Devil, ſo long as he is an Arrian, ſaid Hilarius. We muſt ſhew no countenance, nor give no encouragement to ſuch as deny, either …ne divinity or humanity of Chriſt.

I have been the longer upon the Divinity and humanity of Chriſt. 1. Becauſe the times we live in require it. 2. That poor weak ſtaggering Chriſtians may be ſtrengthned, eſtabliſhed, and ſetled in the truth, as it is in Jeſus. 3. That I may give in my teſtimony and witneſs againſt all thoſe who are poyſoned and corrupted with Socinian and Arrian Principles, which deſtroy the ſouls of men. 4. That thoſe, in whoſe hands this book may fall, may be the better furniſhed to make head againſt men of corrupt minds; who, by ſlight of hand, and cunning craftineſs, lie in wait to deceive, Eph. 4. 14.

Sixthly, As he that did feel and ſuffer the very torments of Hell, though not after a helliſh manner, was God-man; ſo the puniſhments that Chriſt did ſuſtain for us, muſt be referred only to the ſubſtance, and not unto the circumſtances of puniſhment. The puniſhment which Chriſt endured, if it be conſidered in its ſubſtance, kind, or nature; ſo 'twas the ſame with what the ſinner himſelf ſhould have undergone. Now the puniſhment due to the ſinner was death, the curſe of the Law, &c. now this Chriſt underwent, for he was made a curſe for us: Gal. 3. 13.Gal 3:13but if you conſider the puniſhment which Chriſt endur'd, with reſpect to certain circumſtances, adjuncts, and accidents, as the eternity of it, deſperation going along p. 285with it, &c. then, I ſay, it was not the ſame, but equivalent: Whether the work of man's redemption could have been wrought without the ſufferings and humiliation of Chriſt, is not determinable by men; but that it was the moſt admirable way, which wiſdom, juſtice, and mercy, could require, cannot be denied.And the reaſon is, becauſe, though the enduring of the puniſhments, as to the ſubſtance of them, could, and did agree with him as a ſurety, yet the circumſtances of thoſe puniſhments could not have befallen him, unleſs he had been a ſinner; and therefore, every inordination in ſuffering was far from Chriſt, and a perpetual duration of ſuffering could not befall him; for the firſt of theſe had been contrary to the holineſs and dignity of his perſon, and the other had made void the end of his ſuretiſhip and Mediatorſhip; which was ſo to ſuffer, as yet to conquer, and to deliver, and therefore, though he did ſuffer death for us (in the ſubſtance of it) yet he neither did nor could ſuffer death in the circumſtances of it, ſo as for ever to be held by death; for then, in ſuffering death, he ſhould not have conquered death, nor delivered us from death; neither was it neceſſary to Chriſt's ſubſtitution, that he ſhould undergo, in every reſpect, the ſame puniſhment which the offender himſelf was liable unto: but if he underwent ſo much puniſhment as did ſatisfie the Law, and vindicate the Law-giver, in his holineſs, truth, juſtice, and righteouſneſs, that was enough. Now, that was unqueſtionably done by Chriſt, as the Scriptures do abundantly teſtifie. It muſt be readily granted, that Chriſt was to ſuffer the whole puniſhment due unto ſin, ſo far as it became the dignity of his perſon, and the neceſſity of the work; but if he had ſuffered eternally, the work of Redemption could never have been accompliſhed; and beſides, he ſhould have ſuffered that which could no ways beſeem him. And therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 2. 10. It became him to be conſecrated through ſufferings: Chriſt was only to paſs through ſuch ſufferings as became him, who was ordained to be the Prince and Captain of our ſalvation. It became him to be man, and it became him in our humane nature to ſuffer death, and it became him to ſuſtain for us the ſubſtance of thoſe puniſhments that we ſhould have undergone; and accordingly, he did: what our ſins did deſerve, and what juſtice p. 286might lay upon us for thoſe ſins, all that did Chriſt certainly ſuffer or bear: Jeſus Chriſt did ſo ſuffer for our ſins, as that his ſufferings were fully anſwerable to the demerit of our ſins. And I think I may ſafely ſay, that God, in juſtice, could not require any more, or lay on any one more puniſhment than Jeſus Chriſt did ſuffer for our ſins: and my reaſon is this, becauſe Chriſt bare all our ſins and all our ſorrows, and was obedient unto the death, and made a Iſa. 53. Gal. 3. 13.Isa 53Gal 3:13curſe for us; and more than this, the Law of God could not require: and if Chriſt did ſuffer all that the Law of God required, then certainly he ſuffeed ſo much as did ſatisfie the juſtice of God: viz. as much puniſhment as was commenſurated with ſin. But,

Seventhly and laſtly, the meritorious cauſe, the main 7. Iſa. 53. 4, 5. There were other ſubordinate ends of his ſufferings; as, 1. To ſanctifie ſufferings to us. 2. To ſweeten ſufferings to us. 3. To ſuccour us experimentally under all our ſufferings, Heb. 2. 17, 18. 4. That he might be prepared to enter into his glory, Luk. 24. 26 5. That he might be a Conquerour over ſufferings, which was one piece of his greateſt glory, &c.Isa 53:4Isa 53:5Heb 2:17Heb 2:18Heb 2:4Luke 24:26end, and the ſpecial occaſion of all the ſufferings of Chriſt, were the ſins of his people: Chriſt was our ſurety, and he could not ſatisfie for our ſins, nor reconcile us to God without ſuffering, Iſa. 53. 5. But he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions; the Hebrew word for wounded, foreign, hath a double Emphaſis; either it may ſignifie that he was pierced through as with a dart, or that he was tormented or pained, as women or other creatures are wont to be that bring forth with pain and torment, at the time of their travail: for the word in the Text laſt cited, comes regularly from a root that ſignifies properly to be in pain, as women are when they bring forth. It was our tranſgreſſions that gave Chriſt his deadly wounds, it was our ſins that ſmote him, and bruiſed him. Look as Zippora ſaid to Moſes, Exod. 4. 25. Surely, a bloody husband art thou to me; ſo may Chriſt ſay to his Church, ſurely a bloody ſpouſe haſt thou been to me; Chriſt's ſpouſe may look upon him, and ſay, It was I that have been that Judas, that have betrayed thee, it was I that was the ſouldiers that murdered thee, It was my ſins that brought all ſorrows and ſufferings, all miſchiefs and evils upon thee: I have ſinned, and thou haſt ſuffered: I have eaten the ſower Grapes, and thy teeth were ſet on edge: I have ſinned, and thou haſt died: I have wounded thee, and thou p. 287haſt healed me. It is the wiſdom, and oh, that it might be more and more, the work of every believer, to look upon an humble Chriſt with an humble heart, a broken Chriſt with a broken heart, a bleeding Chriſt with a bleeding heart, a wounded Chriſt with a wounded heart; according to that, Zech. 12. 10. Chriſt was wounded, bruiſed, and cut off for ſinners ſins. When Chriſt was taken by the ſouldiers, he ſaid, If ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way: Chriſt was willing, that the hurt which ſinners had done to God, and the debt which they owed to him, ſhould be ſet upon his ſcore, and put upon his account: and the Apoſtle mentions it as a remarkable thing, That Chriſt died for the ungodly, Rom. 5. 8. The juſt for the unjuſt, 1 Pet. 3. 18. our ſins were the meritorious cauſe of Chriſt's ſufferings; Chriſt did not ſuffer for himſelf, for Heb. 4. 15. cap. 7. 26.Heb 4:15he was without ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth. The grand deſign, errand and buſineſs about which Chriſt came into the world, was to ſave ſinners: He had his 1 Tim. 1. 15. Mat. 1. 21.1 Tim 1:15Matt 1:21name Jeſus, becauſe he was to ſave is people from their ſins: he died for our ſins; not only for our good, as the final cauſe; but for our ſins, as the procuring cauſe of his death. He was delivered for our offences, Chriſt died Rom. 4. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 3.Rom 4:251 Cor 15:3for our ſins according to the ſcriptures: that is, according to what was typified, propheſied, and promiſed in the bleſſed Scriptures, Gal. 1. 4. He gave himſelf for our ſins; 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body upon the tree: by whoſe ſtripes ye were healed, foreign. The whole Teſtament hath not the like two relatives at once in the original, as if I ſhould ſay, by whoſe ſtripes of his, we are healed. Peter (ſaith Eſtius) alludes to the ſtripes that ſervants receive from their cruel maſters: therefore he return to the ſecond perſon, ye are healed: here you ſee that the Phyſician's blood became the ſick man's ſalve, we can hardly believe the power of ſword-ſalve. But here is a myſtery, that only the Goſpel can aſſure us of, that the wounding of one ſhould be the cure of another: Oh, what an odious thing is ſin to God, that he will pardon none without blood, yea, without p. 288the blood of his deareſt ſon! Oh, what a Hell of wickedneſs Heb. 9. 22. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19.Heb 9:221 Pet 1:181 Pet 1:19muſt there be in ſin, that nothing can expiate it, but the beſt, the pureſt, the nobleſt blood that ever run in veins! Oh, what a tranſcendent evil muſt ſin be, that nothing can purge it away but death, but the death of the Croſs, no death but an accurſed death! Oh, what a Leproſie is ſin, that it muſt have blood, yea, the blood of God to take it away!

Now, thus you have ſeen, 1. That the ſufferings of Chriſt have been free and voluntary, and not conſtrained or forced. 2. That they have been very great and heinous. 3. That the puniſhments which Chriſt did ſuffer for our ſins, were in their parts, and kinds, and degrees, and proportion, all thoſe puniſhments which were due unto us by reaſon of our ſins; and which we our ſelves ſhould otherwiſe have ſuffered. 4. That Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the very torments of Hell, though not after a helliſh manner. 5. That he that did feel and ſuffer the torments of hell, though not after a holliſh manner, was God-man. 6. That the puniſhments that Chriſt did ſuſtain for us, muſt be referred only to the ſubſtance, and not to the circumſtances of puniſhment. 7. That the meritorious cauſe of all the ſufferings of Chriſt, were the ſins of his people. Now, to that great queſtion of giving up your account at laſt, according to the import of Eccleſ. 11. 9. cap. 12. 14. Mat. 12. 14. cap. 18. 23. Luk. 16. 3. Ram. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Heb. 9. 27. cap. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 4. 7.Eccl 11:9Matt 12:14Luke 16:32 Cor 5:10Heb 9:271 Pet 4:7thoſe ten Scripures in the margent; you may in the fourth place, make this ſafe, noble, and happy plea; Oh bleſſed God, Jeſus Chriſt hath ſuffered all thoſe things that were due unto me for my ſin; he hath ſuffered even to the worſt and uttermoſt; for all that the Law threatned was a curſe, and Chriſt was made a curſe for me, Gal. 3. 13. he knew no ſin, but was made ſin for me; 2 Cor. 5. 21. and what Chriſt ſuffered, he ſuffered as my ſurety, and in my ſtead; and therefore, what he ſuffered for me, is as if I had ſuffered all that my ſelf; and his ſufferings hath appeaſed thy wrath, and ſatisfied thy juſtice, and reconciled thee to my ſelf. For God was in Chriſt, reconciling the 2 Cor. 5. 19.2 Cor 5:19world to himſelf, not imputing their treſpaſſes unto them. p. 289And he hath reconciled both (Jews and Gentiles) unto God, in one body, on the Croſs; having ſlain enmity thereby: Jeſus Chriſt took upon him all my ſins; they were all of them laid upon him, and he bare or ſuffered all the wrath and puniſhment due for them, and he ſuffered all as my ſurety, in my ſtead, and for my good; and thou didſt deſign him for all this, and accepted of its ſufficient and effectual on my behalf. Oh, with what comfort, courage, and confidence, may a believer, upon theſe conſiderations, hold up his head in the great day of his account.

Let me now make a few inferences from the conſideration of all the great and grievous ſufferings of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: and therefore!

Firſt, Let us ſtand ſtill, and admire and wonder at the love of Jeſus Chriſt to poor ſinners; that Chriſt ſhould rather dye for us, than the Angels; they were creatures of a 1more noble extract; and, in all probability, might have brought greater revenues of glory to God: yet, that Chriſt ſhould paſs by thoſe golden veſſels, and make us veſſels of glory, Oh, what amazing and aſtoniſhing love is this! This is the envy of Devils, and the admiration of Angels and Saints.The Angels were more honourable and excellent creatures than we; they were celeſtial ſpirits, we earthly bodies, duſt and aſhes; they were immediate attendants upon God, they were, as I may ſay, of his privy chamber; we ſervants of his in the lower houſe of this world, farther remote from his glorious preſence; their office was to ſing Hallelujahs, Songs of praiſe to God in the heavenly Paradiſe, ours to dreſs the Garden of Eden, which was but an earthly Paradiſe; they ſinned but once, and but in thought (as is commonly thought,) but Adam ſinned in thought, by luſting, in deed, by taſting, and in word, by excuſing: why did not Chriſt ſuffer for their ſins, as well as for ours? or if for any, why not for theirs rather than ours? Even ſo, O Father, for ſo it pleaſed thee. We move this queſtion, not as being curious to ſearch thy ſecret counſels, O Lord, but that we may be the more ſwallowed Mat. 11. 26.Matt 11:26up in the admiration of the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, of the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth p. 282knowledg. The Apoſtle, being in a holy admiration of Eph. 3. 18. 19.Eph 3:18Eph 3:19Chriſt's love, affirms it to paſs knowledg; that God, who is the eternal Being, ſhould love man when he had ſcarce Prov. 8. 30, 31.Prov 8:30Prov 8:31a Being, that he ſhould be enamoured with deformity, that he ſhould love us when in our blood, that he ſhould pity us when no eye pitied us, no, not our own: Oh, ſuch was Chriſt's tranſcendent love, that man's extreme Ezek. 16.Ezek 16miſery could not abate it; the deploredneſs of man's condition did but heighten the holy flame of Chriſt's love; 'tis as high as Heaven, who can reach it? 'tis as low as Hell, who can underſtand it? Heaven (through its glory) could not contain him (man being miſerable) nor Hell's torments make him refrain, ſuch was his perfect matchleſs love to fallen man: that Chriſt's love ſhould extend to the ungodly, to ſinners, to enemies that were in arms of rebellion againſt him; yea, not only ſo, but Rom. 5. 6, 8, 10.Rom 5:6Rom 5:8Rom 5:10that he ſhould hug them in his arms lodg them in his boſom, dandle them upon his knees, and lie them to his breaſts, that they may ſuck and be ſatisfied, is the higheſt improvement of love. That Chriſt ſhould come from the Iſa. 66. 11, 12, 13.Isa 66:11Isa 66:12Isa 66:13eternal boſom of his father, to a Region of ſorrow and John 1. 18. Iſa. 53. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. John 17. 5. Mat. 25.John 1:18Isa 53:41 Tim 3:16John 17:5Matt 25death; that God ſhould be manifeſted in the fleſh, the Creator made a creature; that he that was cloathed with glory, ſhould be wrapped with rags of fleſh; that he that filled Heaven, ſhould be cradled in a manger; that the God of Iſrael ſhould fly into Egypt, that the God of ſtrength, ſhould be weary; that the judg of all fleſh ſhould be condemned; that the God of life ſhould be put to death; that he that is one with his father, ſhould cry out John 19. 41.John 19:41of miſery, O my father, if it be poſſible, let this cup paſs from me; that he that had the keys of hell and death, Mat. 26. 39. Rev. 1. 18. John 19. 41, 42.Matt 26:39Rev 1:18John 19:41John 19:42ſhould lie impriſon'd in the Sepulchre of another, having, in his life time, no where to lay his head; nor after death, to lay his body; and all this for man, for fallen man, for miſerable man, for worthleſs man, is beyond the thoughts of created natures. The ſharp, the univerſal and continual ſufferings of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, from the cradle to the croſs, does above all p. 283other things ſpeak out the tranſcendent love of Jeſus Chriſt to poor ſinners: That wrath, that great wrath, that fierce wrath, that pure wrath, that infinite wrath, that matchleſs wrath of an angry God, that was ſo terribly impreſt upon the Soul of Chriſt, quickly ſpent his natural ſtrength, and turned his moiſture into the Pſal. 32. 4.Ps 32:4drought of ſummer; and yet all this wrath he patiently underwent, that Sinners might be ſaved, and that he Heb. 2. 10.Heb 2:10might bring many ſons unto glory. O wonder of love! Love is paſſive, it enables to ſuffer: The Curtii laid down their lives for the Romans, becauſe they loved them; ſo 'twas love that made our dear Lord Jeſus lay down his life, to ſave us from hell and to bring us to heaven. As the Pelican, out of their love to her young ones, when they are bitten with Serpents, feeds them with her own blood, Gen. 3. 15.Gen 3:15to recover them again; ſo when we were bitten by the old Serpent, and our wound incurable, and we in danger of eternal death, then did our dear Lord Jeſus, that he might recover us and heal us, feed us with his own Jeh. 6. 53. 54, 55, 56. Dilexiſti me Demine magis. quàm teipſum, Bern.blood: O love unſpeakable! This made one cry out, Lord thou haſt loved me more than thy ſelf; for thou haſt laid down thy life for me. It was only the golden link of love that faſtned Chriſt to the Croſs, and Joh. 10. 17.John 10:17that made him die freely for us, and that made him willing to be numbred among tranſgreſſors, that we might Iſa. 53. 12.Isa 53:12be numbred among general aſſemby and church of the Heb. 12. 23.Heb 12:23firſt born, which are written in heaven. If Jonathan's 2 Sam. 1. 26.2 Sam 1:26love to David was wonderful, how wonderful muſt the Heb. 10. 10.Heb 10:10love of Chriſt be to us, which led him by the hand to make himſelf an offering for us, which Jonathan never did for David: for though Jonathan loved David's life and ſafety well, yet he loved his own better; for when his father caſt a javelin at him to ſmite him, he flies 1 Sam. 10. 33, 34, 35.1 Sam 10:331 Sam 10:341 Sam 10:35for it, and would not abide his fathers fury, being very willing to ſleep in a whole skin, notwithſtanding his wonderful love to David; making good the Philoſophers notion, that Man is a life-lover. Chriſt's love is like his name, and that is wonderful, yea it is ſo wonderful, that p. 292Iſa. 9. 6.Isa 9:6it is ſupra omnem creaturam, ultra omnem menſuram, contra omnem naturam, above all creatures, beyond allmeaſure, contrary to all nature. 'Tis above all Creatures, for it is above the Angels, and therefore above all others: 'Tis beyond all Meaſure, for time did not begin it, and time ſhall never end it; place doth not bound it, ſin doth not exceed it, no eſtate, no age, no ſex is denied it, tongues cannot expreſs it, underſtandings cannot conceive it: and 'tis contrary to all Nature; for what nature can love where it is hated? what nature can forgive, where it is provoked? what nature can offer reconcilement where it receiveth wrong? what nature can heap up kindneſs upon contempt, favour upon ingratitude, mercy upon ſin? and yet Chriſt's love hath led him to all this; ſo that wel may we ſpend all our days in admiring and adoring of this wonderful love, and be always raviſhed with the thoughts of it. But

Secondly, Then look that ye love the Lord Jeſus 2Chriſt with a ſuperlative love, with an over-topping love; there are none have ſuffered ſo much for you as Chriſt, there are none that can ſuffer ſo much for you as Chriſt: the leaſt meaſure of that wrath that Chriſt hath ſuſtained for you, would have broke the hearts, necks and backs of all created Beings. O my friends! there is no love but a ſuperlative love that is any ways ſutable to the tranſcendent ſufferings of dear Jeſus: O love him above your luſts, love him above your relations, love him above the world, love him above all your outward contentments and enjoyments; yea love him above your very lives: for thus the Patriarchs, Ptophets, Apoſtles, Saints, Primitive Chriſtians and the Martyrs of old have loved Act. 20. 24. cap. 21. 12, 13. 2 Cor. 1. 8, 9, 10. cap. 4. 11. cap. 11. 23. Heb. 11. 36, 37, 38, 39.Acts 20:242 Cor 1:82 Cor 1:92 Cor 1:10Heb 11:36Heb 11:37Heb 11:38Heb 11:39our Lord Jeſus Chriſt with an over-topping love, Rev 12. 11. They loved not their lives unto the death, that is, they ſlighted, contemned, yea deſpiſed their lives, expoſing them to hazard and loſs, out of love to the Lamb, who had waſhed them in his blood. I have read of one Kilian a Dutch Scholmaſter, who being asked whether he did not love his wife and Children, anſwered, Were all the p. 293world a lump of gold, and in my hands to diſpoſe of, I would leave it at my enemies feet to live with them in a priſon; but my Soul and my Saviour are dearer to me than all. If my father (ſaith Jerom) ſhould ſtand Hieron. ad Heliodor. epiſt. 1.before me, and my mother hang upon, and my brethren ſhould preſs about me, I would break through my brethren, throw down my father, and tread underfoot my mother, to cleave to Jeſus Chriſt. Had I ten heads, Cere non amaut illi Chriſtum, qui ali quid plusqe, am …riſtum amant, Aug. de reſurr. Hey do n…t l…ve Chriſt, who love any thing more than Chriſt.ſaid Henry Voes, they ſhould all off for Chriſt. If every hair of my head (ſaid John Ardley Martyr) were a man, they ſhould all ſuffer for the Faith of Chriſt. Let fire, racks, pullies (ſaid Ignatius) and all the torments of Hell come upon me, ſo I may win Chriſt. Love made Hierom to ſay, O my Saviour, didſt thou die for love of me? a love more dolorous than death; but to The more Chriſt hath ſuffered for us, the dearer Chriſt ſhould be …nto us: the greater and the bitterer Chriſts ſufferings have been for us, the greater and the ſweeter ſhould our love be to him.me a death more lovely than love it ſelf; I cannot live, love thee, and be longer from thee. George Carpenter being asked whether he did not love his wife and children, which ſtood weeping before him, anſwered, My wife and children; my wife and children are dearer to me than all Bavaria, yet for the love of Chriſt I know them not. That bleſſed Virgin in Baſil, being condemned for Chriſtianity to the fire, and having her eſtate and life offered her if ſhe would worſhip Idols, cried out, Let money periſh, and life vaniſh, Chriſt is better than all. Sufferings for Chriſt, are the Saints greateſt glory; they are thoſe things wherein they have moſt gloried: Crudelitas veſtra, gloria noſtra, your cruelty is our glory, ſaith Tertullian. It is reported of Babylas, that when he was to die for Chriſt, he deſired this favour, that his Chains might be buried with him, as the enſigns of his honour. Thus you ſee with what a ſuperlative love, with what an over-topping love, former Saints have loved our Lord Jeſus; and can you Chriſtians, who are cold and low in your love to Chriſt, read over theſe inſtances, and not bluſh? Certainly the more Chriſt hath ſuffered for us, the more dear Chriſt ſhould be unto us; the more bitter his ſufferings have been for us, the more p. 286ſweet his love ſhould be to us, and the more eminent ſhould be our love to him: O let a ſuffering Chriſt lie neareſt your hearts; let him be your Manna, your Tree of Life, your Morning-ſtar: 'tis better to part with all than with this Pearl of price. Chriſt is that golden pipe through which the golden oyl of ſalvation runs; and oh how ſhould this inflame our love to Chriſt! Oh that our hearts were more affected with the ſufferings of Chriſt! Who can tread upon theſe hot coals, and his Can. 8. 7, 8.heart not burn in love to Chriſt, and cry out with Ignatius, Chriſt my love is crucified? If a friend ſhould die Joh. 10. 17, 18.John 10:17John 10:18for us, how would our hearts be affected with his kindneſs! and ſhall the God of Glory lay down his life for us, and ſhall we not be affected with his goodneſs? Shall Saul be affected with David's kindneſs in ſparing his life, 1 Sam. 24. 16.1 Sam 24:16and ſhall not we be affected with Chriſt's kindneſs, who Joh. 1. 18.John 1:18to ſave our life, loſt his own? O the infinite love of Chriſt, that he ſhould leave his Fathers boſom, and come down Joh. 14. 1, 2, 3, 4.John 14:1John 14:2John 14:3John 14:4from heaven, that he might carry you up to heaven; that he that was a Son ſhould take upon him the form of a Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7, 8.Phil 2:5Phil 2:6Phil 2:7Phil 2:8ſervant, that you of ſlaves ſhould be made Sons, of enemies ſhould be made friends, of heirs of wrath ſhould Rom. 8. 17.Rom 8:17be made heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Chriſt; that to ſave us from everlaſting ruine, Chriſt ſhould ſtick at nothing, but be willing to be made fleſh, to lie in a manger, to be tempted, deſerted, perſecuted, and to die upon a Croſs! O what flames of love ſhould theſe things kindle in all our hearts to Chriſt! Love is compared to fire; in heaping love upon our enemy, we heap coals of R…m. 12. 19, 20. Prov. 26. 21.Prov 26:21fire upon his head: now the property of fire is to turn all it meets with into its own nature, fire maketh all things fire, the coal maketh burning coals; and is it not a wonder then, that Chriſt having heaped abundance of the fiery coals of his love upon our heads, we ſhould yet be but key-cold in our love to him. Ah what ſad metal are we made of, that Chriſt's fiery love cannot inflame our love to Chriſt! Moſes wondred why the Buſh Exod. 3. 3.Exod 3:3conſumed not, when he ſee it all on fire; but if you pleaſe p. 287but to look into your own hearts, you ſhall ſee a greater wonder; for you ſhall ſee that though you walk (like thoſe three Children in the fiery furnace) even in the Dan. 3.Dan 3midſt of Chriſt's fiery love, flaming round about you; yet there is but little, very little true ſmell of that ſweet fire of love to be felt or found upon you, or in you: Oh when ſhall the ſufferings of a dear and tender-hearted Saviour kindle ſuch a flame of love in all our hearts, as ſhall ſtill be a breaking forth in our lips and lives, in our words and ways, to the praiſe and glory of free Grace? Cant. 2. 5.Song 2:5O that the ſufferings of a loving Jeſus might at laſt make us all ſick of love! O let him for ever lie betwixt our Cant. 1. 13.Song 1:13breaſts, who hath left his Fathers boſom for a time, that he might be enboſom'd by us for ever. But

Thirdly, Then in the ſufferings of Chriſt, as in a 3Goſpel-glaſs, you may ſee the odious nature of Sin, and accordingly learn to hate it, arm againſt it, turn from it, and ſubdue it: Sin never appears ſo odious as when we Pſal. 119. 104, 113, 128. Rom. 7. 15. cap. 12. 9.Ps 119:104Ps 119:113Ps 119:128Rom 7:15behold it in the …ed Glaſs of Chriſt's ſufferings. Can we look upon ſin, as the occaſion of all Chriſt's ſufferings; can we look upon ſin, as that which made Chriſt a curſe, and that made him forſaken of his Father, and that made him live ſuch a miſerable life, and that brought him to die ſuch a ſhameful, painful and cruel death, and our hearts not riſe againſt it? Shall our ſins be grievous unto Chriſt, and ſhall they not be odious unto us? ſhall he die for our ſins, and ſhall not we die to our ſins? did not he therefore ſuffer for ſin, that we might ceaſe from ſin? did not he bear our ſins in his own body on the tree, 1 Pet. 4. 1.1 Pet 4:1that we being dead to ſin, ſhould live to righteouſneſs? If 1 Pet. 2. 24.1 Pet 2:24one ſhould kill our father, would we hug and imbrace him as our father? no, we would be revenged on him: Sin hath killed our Saviour, and ſhall we not be reveng'd on it. Can a man look upon that Snake that hath ſtung his dearly beloved ſpouſe to death, and preſerve it alive, warm it at the fire, and hug it in his boſom, and not rather ſtab it with a thouſand wounds? 'Tis ſin that hath ſtung our dear Jeſus to death, that has crucified p. 296our Lord, clouded his glory, and ſhed his precious blood, and oh how ſhould this ſtir up our indignation againſt it: ah how can a Chriſtian make much of thoſe ſins that killed his deared Lord! how can he cheriſh thoſe ſins that betrayed Chriſt, and apprehended Chriſt, and bound Chriſt, and condemned Chriſt, and ſcourged Chriſt, and that violently drew him to the Croſs and there murdered him! It was neither Judas, nor Pilate, nor the Jews, nor the Souldiers, that could have done our Lord Jeſus the leaſt hurt, had not our ſins, like ſo many Butchers and Hangmen, come in to their aſſiſtance. After Julius Caeſar was treacherouſly murthered in the Senate-houſe, Antonius brought forth his Coat, all bloody, cut and mangled, and laying it open to the view of the people, ſaid, Look, here is your Emperors coat, and as the bloody conſpirators have dealt by it, ſo have they dealt with Caeſar's body; whereupon the people were all in an uproar, and nothing would ſatisfie them but the death of the murtherers, and they run to the houſes of the conſpirators, and burnt them down to the ground: But what was Caeſar's coat, and Caeſar's body, to the body of our dear Lord Jeſus, which was all bloody, rent and torn for our ſins? Ah, how ſhould this provoke us to be revenged on our ſins! how ſhould we for ever loath and abhorr them! how ſhould our fury be whetted againſt them! how ſhould we labour with all our might to be the death of thoſe ſins, that have been the death of ſo great a Lord, and will, if not prevented, be the death of our Souls to all eternity. To ſee God thruſt the ſword of his pure, infinite and incenſed wrath, through the very heart of his deareſt Son, notwithſtanding all his ſupplications, prayers, Heb. 5. 7.Heb 5:7tears and ſtrong cries, is the higheſt diſcovery of the Lords hatred and indignation of ſin that ever was or will be: 'Tis true God diſcovered his great hatred againſt ſin, by turning Adam out of Paradiſe, and by caſting the Angels down to hell, by drowning the old world, and by raining hell out of heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and p. 297by the various and dreadful judgments that he has been a pouring forth upon the world in all ages: but all this hatred is but the picture of hatred, to that hatred which God manifeſted againſt ſin in cauſing the whole curſe to meet upon our crucified Lord, as all ſtreams meet in the ſea. 'Tis true, God diſcovers his hatred of ſin, by thoſe endleſs, eaſleſs and remedileſs torments that he inflicts upon Devils and damned ſpirits; but this is no hatred, to that hatred againſt ſin, which God diſcovered when he opened all the flood-gates of his envenom'd wrath upon his Son, his own Son, his only Son, his Son Iſa. 53. 5, 6. Prov. 8. 30, 31. Matth. 3. ult.Isa 53:5Isa 53:6Prov 8:30Prov 8:31Matt 3that always pleaſed him, his Son that never offended him. Should you ſee a father that had but one ſon, and he ſuch a ſon in whom he always delighted, and by whom he had never been provoked; a ſon that always made it his buſineſs, his work, his heaven to promote Joh. 8. 49, 50.John 8:49John 8:50the honour and glory of his father, a ſon who was always Joh. 9. 4.John 9:4moſt at eaſe, when moſt engaged in his fathers ſervice; Joh. 4. 34.John 4:34a ſon who counted it his meat and drink to do his father's will: now ſhould you ſee the father of ſuch a ſon, inflicting the moſt exquiſite pains and puniſhments, tortures and torments, calamities and miſeries upon this his deareſt ſon, you would readily conclude, that certainly the ſins, the offences that have put the father upon exerciſing ſuch amazing, ſuch matchleſs ſeverity, fury and cruelty, upon his only Son, are infinitly hateful, odious Jer. 44. 4. Zech. 8. 17. The Rabbins, to ſcare their Scholars from ſin uſed to tell them, that ſin made God's head ache; but I may ſay, ſin hath made Chriſts head ache and his heart ach too.Jer 44:4Zech 8:17and and abominable to him. Now if you pleaſe but to caſt your eye upon the actings of God the Father towards. Jeſus Chriſt, you will find that he hath inflicted more torments and greater torments upon the Son of his deareſt love, than all mortals ever have or could inflict upon their only ſons, Iſai. 53. 6. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all, Heb. Hath made the iniquities of us all to meet on him, or to light or fall on him rather; God made all the penalties and ſufferings, that were due to us, to fall upon Jeſus Chriſt, as a man is wont to fall with all his might in a hoſtile manner upon his enemy; God himſelf inflicted upon dear Jeſus, whatſoever p. 298was requiſite to the ſatisfying of his Juſtice, to the obtaining of pardon, and to the ſaving of all his elect, verſ. 10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to grief: all the devils in hell, nor all the men upon earth, could never have bruiſed or put to grief our Lord Jeſus; if it had not pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him and put him to grief, he had never been bruiſed or put to grief: O how ſhould this work us to look upon ſin with indignation!

Suppoſe a man ſhould come to a Table, and there ſhould be a knife laid at his Trencher, and it ſhould be told him, this is the very knife that cut the throat of your child or father; if this perſon ſhould uſe this knife as any other knife, would not every one ſay, Surely this man had but very little love to his father or his child, who can uſe this bloody knife as any other knife: So when you meet with any temptation to ſin, O then ſay, This is the very knife that cut the throat of Jeſus Chriſt, that pierced his ſides, that was the cauſe of his ſufferings, and that made Chriſt to be a curſe, and accordingly let your hearts riſe againſt it: Ah, how well doth it become Chriſtians to look upon ſin, as that accurſed thing that made Chriſt a curſe, and accordingly to abhorr it! Oh with what deteſtation ſhould a man fling away ſuch a knife! and with the like deteſtation ſhould every Chriſtian fling away his ſins, as Ephraim did his Idols, Get you Hoſea 14. 8. Iſa. 2. 20. cap. 30. 22.Hos 14:8Isa 2:20hence, what have I any more to do with you? Sin, thou haſt ſlain my Lord, thou haſt been the only cauſe of the death of my Saviour: Let us ſay as David, Is not this the 2 Sam. 23. 17.2 Sam 23:17blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? ſo, is not this the ſin that poured out Chriſt's blood? oh how ſhould this enrage our hearts againſt ſin, becauſe it coſt Heb. 2. 10.Heb 2:10the Captain of our ſalvation, not the hazard, but the very loſs of his life! God ſhewed Moſes a tree wherewith he Exod. 15. 25.Exod 15:25might make the bitter waters ſweet; but lo, here is a tree wherewith ye may make the ſweet waters of ſin to become bitter: Look upon the tree on which Chriſt was crucified, remember his Croſs, and the pains he p. 299ſuffered thereon, and the ſeeming ſweetneſs that is in ſin will quickly vaniſh; when you are ſollicited to ſin, caſt your eye upon Chriſt's Croſs, remember his aſtoniſhing ſufferings for ſin, and it will ſoon grow diſtaſteful to your ſouls: for how can that chuſe but be hateful to us, if we ſeriouſly conſider how hurtful it was to Jeſus Chriſt? who can look upon the Croſs of Chriſt, and excuſe his ſin, as Adam did, ſaying, The woman which thou gaveſt me, ſhe Gen. 3. 12.Gen 3:12gave me of the tree, and I did eat? who can look upon the Croſs of Chriſt, and colour his ſin, as Judas did, ſaying, Hail Matth. 26. 49.Matt 26:49Maſter? who can look upon the Croſs of Chriſt, and deny his ſin, as Gehazi did, ſaying, Thy ſervant went no whither? 2 Kings 5. 25.2 Kgs 5:25who can look upon the Croſs of Chriſt, and defend his ſin, as Jonah did, ſaying, I do well to be angry? O ſirs! where is Jonah 4. 9.Jonah 4:9that hatred of ſin that uſe to be in the Saints of old? David could ſay, I hate vain thoughts, and I hate every falſe Pſal. 119, 104, 113, 128. Rom. 7, 15.Ps 119:104Ps 119:113Ps 119:128Rom 7:15way; and Paul could ſay, what I hate that do I. 'Tis better (ſaith one) to be in hell with Chriſt, than to be in heaven with ſin: O how odious was ſin in the Saints eye! The primitive Chriſtians choſe rather to be caſt to Lyons without, Ad leonem magis qnàm lemonem, ſaith Tertullian.than to be left to luſts within, ſo great was their hatred of ſin. I had rather (ſaith Anſelm) go to hell pure from ſin, than to heaven poluted with that guilt: I will rather (ſaith another) leap into a Bonfire, than wilfully to ſin againſt God. Under the Law, if an Oxe gored a man that he died, the Exod. 21. 28.Exod 21:28Oxe was to be killed: Sin hath gored and pierced our dear Lord Jeſus, O let it die for it; O avenge your ſelves upon it, as Sampſon did avenge himſelf upon the Philiſtines, for Judg. 16. 28.Judg 16:28his two eyes. P…lutarch reports of Marcus Cato, that he never declared his opinion in any matter in the Senate, but he would cloſe it with this paſſage, Methinks ſtill Carthage ſhould be deſtroyed; ſo a Chriſtian ſhould never caſt his eye upon the Croſs of Chriſt, the ſufferings of Chriſt, nor upon his ſins, but his heart ſhould ſay, Methinks pride ſhould be deſtroyed, and unbelief ſhould be deſtroyed, and hypocriſie ſhould be deſtroyed, and earthly-mindedneſs ſhould be deſtroyed, and ſelf-love ſhould be deſtroyed, and vain glory ſhould be deſtroyed, p. 300&c. The Jews would not have the pieces of ſilver, which Judas caſt down in the Temple, put in the Treaſury, becauſe Ma…. 27. 5, 6.they were the price of blood: Oh, lodg not any one ſin in the Treaſury of your hearts, for they are all the price of blood. But,