The Ark of the Covenant Opened, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Several Queſtions reſolved, concerning Chriſts taking our nature upon him.
WE come to clear ſome doubts and Queſtions about this myſtery of Chriſts taking our nature upon him.
Queſt. 1. (If we may ſoberly make it a Queſtion without curioſity,See Rog. pract. catech. p. 2. p. 26. Bal. treatiſe of the Covenant, pag. 266. and enquire a little after ſo much of the Reaſons of it, as God hath been pleaſed to reveal). Why did not God the Father, or the Holy Ghoſt, take on mans nature to be our Mediator, but the Son, The ſecond Perſon?
Anſw. It might ſuffice for an anſwer, That ſo it pleaſed God in the deep and unſearchable counſel of the Will of all the three Perſons, to order it, Pſal. 80.19, 20, Then thou ſpakeſt in viſion to thy holy One, and ſaidſt, I have laid help upon one that is mighty. I have exalted one choſen out of the people. I have found David my ſervant, with my holy oyl I have anointed him. And although I know not another ſatisfying-reaſon that can be given, or that ſhould be curiouſly enquired after: yet I ſhall ſoberly propoſe a few conſiderations, which may help us to adore the unſearchable depth of the counſel of Gods Will, in this part of the myſtery of Chriſt.
1. Conſider, That the world was made by the word Chriſt, Heb. 1.2. Joh. 1.3, All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was not made. And who was ſo fit to reſtore all things, and to amend the world; to create the new World, as he that created all things? he by whom the world was made, Act. 3.21? The Redemption that came by Chriſt, and is to be perfected at the day of his coming again, is called by the Apoſtle the reſtitution of all things. 2. Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, the ſecond Perſon of the Trinity, is appointed Mediator, and takes our nature upon him, that the order of the three perſons of the Godhead, and their working, might in this be manifeſted unto us: The Father is the firſt Perſon and Fountain of divine operation, he works by the Son, and the Father and the Son work by the Holy Ghoſt. Our Mediator muſt be a perſon who muſt give ſatisfaction to the Father for us, and who muſt be able to ſend the Spirit for our ſanctification, and therefore muſt be the Son and ſecond Perſon. 3. Conſider the things which we loſt in Adam: we loſt the Image of God, our Sonſhip and Inheritance: and who ſo fit to reſtore the Image of God, as he who is the Image of the inviſible God, the expreſs image of his perſon? Col. 1.15. Heb. 1.3. Who ſo fit to reſtore us to a Sonſhip, as the only begotten Son? Joh. 1.18. Mat. 3. laſt. Who ſo fit to reſtore man to the inheritance, as the heir of all things, and firſt-born of every creature? Heb. 1.2. Col. 1.15. 4. Conſider the Offices which our Mediator behoved to carry: he muſt be a King, a Prieſt, and a Prophet; and who ſo fit to be our King, as the Power and Wiſdom of God? 1 Cor. 1.24, 30, Chriſt the power of God, and the wiſdom of God.—Who of God is made unto us wiſdom. Col. 2.3, In whom are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledg. Who ſo fit to be our Prieſt, as he who lieth in the boſome of the Father? who can have ſuch acceſs to treat for us with God, and ſuch favour with him, as he that lieth in the center and ſeat of love, the beloved that lieth in the Fathers boſome? Mat. 3.…, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, Joh. 1.18. Who ſo fit to be a Prophet to us, as he who is the word of God, who only knoweth and revealeth all his Will? Rev. 19.13. Joh. 1.8. Mat. 11.27. 5. Conſider that reaſon given by B. Andrews: Becauſe Adams ſin was moſt directly againſt the ſecond Perſon, Gen. 3.…5, 22. Man will be as God, and have the knowledg and wiſdom of God, which is Chriſts prerogative, Col. 2.3. And who ſo fit to pack up that injury, as the ſecond Perſon? fleſh would have been as the Word, and the Wiſdom and Word of God becomes fleſh, to raiſe up ruined man in a quite contrary way to his own ſinful deſign: a marvelous, humble condeſcenſion, to expiate ſo proud a plot!
Queſt. 2. Why muſt the Son of God be not only a man, but the Son of man, of the ſeed of the woman, of the ſame lump with us? Might not the taking of a created nature have fitted him to be our Mediator? Gal. 4.4. He might have been man, and yet had a body framed for him in heaven, and not made of a woman?
Anſ. He muſt be of the ſame lump with us, 1. The more to ſet forth his condeſcenſion, and our exaltation: in this his condeſcenſion was greater, in taking a nature of the ſame lump with us, than if he had taken our nature created, as Adams was; and the exaltation of our nature was the greater, that Chriſts fleſh was not only of the ſame kind, but of the ſame lump with ours. 2. That we might have the more comfort in his ſatisfaction: for if he had taken a created nature, that could have reached to a perſonal ſatisfaction only; but he takes our nature, and the fleſh of our nature, that he might ſatisfie for the ſin of our nature, and make a publick ſatisfaction for the ſins of many. The Covenant with Adam being with his nature, not perſonal; and his ſin alſo being of the ſame kind, the ſatisfaction muſt be in the ſame nature, and by one of the ſame lump, and not with a perſon having that kind of nature, but not the ſame nature, Heb. 2.14, 9, Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through …eath he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil—that he by the grace of God ſhould taſt death for every man. 3. That he might be a fit Mediator, one between two, he behoved to …raw as near to us in reſpect of his human nature, as to God in reſpect of the Divine nature: he muſt be a man, and a man of the ſame lump that his brethren are of; a Prieſt ordained for men, and taken from among men, Heb. 5.1. 4. That the alliance with us might be the ſtraiter, and his right of Redemption the ſtronger: for our Mediator behoved not only to be a Redeemer, but a Goel, one to whom belonged the right of Redemption. Now this could not be, except he were our own kinſman, our brother of the ſame lump and ſtock, Deut. 25.5, 6, &c. Chriſt came to raiſe up ſeed to his dead kinſman, old Adam, who dyed without iſſue of grace (for ought that his ſeed had from him) therefore he behoved to be our brother and kinſman; and by this means Chriſt (1.) as the kinſman, not only may do it, but he takes it on him as his duty, v. 7, to perform the duty of a husbands brother: if the kinſman had refuſed, he is put to open ſhame, by taking off his ſhooe; which Chriſt will not let be done to him. 2. By this means the Inheritance (even the better Inheritance than that of Adams) is ſetled upon our Family, Jer. 32.8, For the right of Inheritance is thine, and the Redemption is thine. 5. That he might ſanctifie our nature in the root, and repair it in the very foundation where Adam defiled it, when he and we have it of the ſame lump: Now you know it is the firſt fruits that ſanctifieth the lump, Rom. 11.16: for except he had been the firſt fruits of the ſame lump that we are of, the lump could not have been ſanctified by him, Heb. 2.11, For both he that ſanctifieth, and they who are ſanctified, are all of one. Col. 1.15, The firſt-born of every creature. But in as much as he is the firſt fruits of the ſame lump with us, he ſanctifieth our nature in the root, our conception, birth, nurſing, education, life, &c.
Queſt. 3. Why did not the Son of God take upon him Adam's nature in Innocency, when it was a virgin; but he took our nature upon him when it was at the worſt, when it was corrupted and accurſed?
Anſ. 1. It was not Adam's nature in innocency that needed a Mediator, but ſinful nature; therefore he will take upon him that nature that needed help, and will ſanctifie it by his taking of it upon him, Rom. 8.3, God ſending his own Son in the likeneſs of ſinful fleſh, and for ſin condemned ſin in the fleſh.
2. He did this to magnifie his love (as I have before ſhewed); there was the more wonderful love in it. There was, 1. Diſtinguiſhing love in it, that put difference betwixt us and the Angels, Heb. 2.16, For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. 2. There was condeſcending love in it, that loved us at our worſt, Rom. 5.8, But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for us. Ezek. 16.8, Now when I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſs; yea, I ſware unto thee, and entered into a Covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord God, and thou becameſt mine.
3. He did this, that he might be glorified in the greater deſtruction and confuſion of mans enemy, the Devil.
Conſider, 1. The weaker that the enemy be, the greater is the confuſion of them that fall by him: how great is Satans confuſion, that by his power is able to deſtroy a world of men in a night, if he were permitted, when the man Chriſt in our nature, and having taken our nature upon him at the worſt, is the deſtruction of the Devil for ever? Heb. 2.14, Foraſmuch then as the children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil. When by a babe and ſuckling the enemy and avenger is ſtilled, Pſal. 8.2.
2. For one to periſh in his own plot, is a great confuſion: when the Devil fell from Heaven, and could not reach Angels to tempt them, he becomes mans enemy, and Chriſt deſtroys him in mans nature, in the ſimilitude of ſinful fleſh: he is twice defeated in his own plot, in our nature, 1. The Devil tempts man to ſin, and this proves his greateſt confuſion, for out of mans fall came the bruiſing of his head: and it is obſervable, that in Satans ſentence is put the firſt promiſe of Chriſt to man, Gen. 3.15, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy ſeed and her ſeed; it ſhall bruiſe thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heel, Rom. 8.3. 2. When Chriſt is manifeſted in the fleſh, the Devil tempts men to kill him, and in this plot he is defeated again, Heb. 2.14, That he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil. When he hath made innocent man become ſinful fleſh, he is deſtroyed in the ſimilitude of ſinful fleſh by the man Chriſt, who took our nature upon him when it was at the worſt.
3. It is a great confuſion for one to have his enemy to become his Judg, and to pronounce the ſentence againſt him, as his Judg: and hereby is Chriſt yet more glorified in the deſtruction of mans enemy, the Devil; that the man Chriſt Jeſus in the ſimilitude of our fleſh, which he took upon him when it was at the worſt, hath judged the Devil, and ſhall judg men and Angels, Joh. 16.11, Of judgment, becauſe the prince of this world is judged. Act. 17.31, Becauſe he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteouſneſs by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all men, in that he hath raiſed him from the dead.
4. Our Mediator behoved to partake of all our infirmities, Iſa. 53.3, A man of ſorrows: who is to leave us an example of ſufferings, and therefore behoved to take our nature upon him when it was at the worſt, Heb. 12.2, He endured the croſs, deſpiſing the ſhame. 1 Pet. 2.20, 21, But if when ye do well, and ſuffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable before God. For even hereunto were ye called, becauſe Chriſt alſo ſuffered for us, leaving us an example, that we ſhould follow his ſteps. He is a Mediator that is to be made perfect through ſufferings, Heb. 5.8, 9. Chap. 2. v. 10. Which agrees not with mans nature in innocency.
Queſt. 4. Why muſt our Mediator be born of the ſeed of Abraham, and when? was there any matter what prerogatives he had? might he not have been of any other ſtock, ſince he is to be the redeemer of man, both Jews and Gentiles, Heb. 2.16?
Anſw. That he might be known to be the promiſed Meſſias, of whom all the Prophets had ſpoken, all which agree that he ſhould be a Jew by Nation, of Abrahams ſeed, and Davids ſon, Deut 18.15, The Lord thy God will raiſe up unto thee a Prophet from the midſt of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him ye ſhall hearken. Gen. 22.18, And in thy ſeed ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. Pſal. 132.11, The Lord hath ſworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it, Of the fruit of thy body will I ſet upon thy throne. 2. Becauſe God had then no other people in the world at that time, but Abrahams feed; and he would honour his own people, by taking his hum…ne nature of their family. 3. Chriſt was to be ſubject to the Law, even the ceremonial Law, which was among the Jews only; and here for explicating this Branch of the Anſwer more fully, we ſhall take it in a diſtinct Queſtion.
Queſt. 5. Why muſt our Mediator be made under the law? Gal. 4.4. Or ſubject to the Law both Moral and Ceremonial?
Anſw. That the Law might reach him as the ſinner legally, as one that was made ſin for us: for if he had not been made under the Law, he had been without the compaſs of it, it could not have reached him, nor taken hold of him, as one who took our Law-place upon him, and ſo we ſhould not have been the better of him; the taking on of our nature, could not have profited us, except he had alſo taken on our condition, as we were ſinful men, liable to the ſentence of the Law, for the tranſgreſſion thereof, which is expreſſed Gal. 4.5, by our being under the Law, that was our condition; and that he might take it on him, he is made under the Law.
More particularly, 1. He was made under the Moral Law, under the whole Law. 1. Under the Directive part of it, which he fulfilled and eſtabliſhed; he ſatisfied that part of the Law, without breaking ſo much as one jot or tittle of it; and eſtabliſhed it to be a rule to all his, that by the obedience thereof they ſhould teſtifie their love to him, 2. Cor. 5.14, 15, For the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, becauſe we thus judg, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him which died for them, and roſe again. 2. He was made under the Forfeiture and penalty of the Law; which he fulfilled and aboliſhed; to wit, the Forfeiture which we had incurred, and by Forfeiture had brought our ſelves under the penalty of death therein contained, Col. 2.14, Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was againſt us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his croſs. And this he ſatisfied by his obedience, even to the ſuffering of death noſtra vice, in our ſtead or room; and ſo he ſatisfied the Law fully, and cancelled the ſentence thereof.
2. He was made under the Ceremonial Law, Luk. 2.21, 22, 23, 24, And when eight days were accompliſhed, for the purification of the child, his name was called Jeſus, &c. Ceremonies fall under a threefold conſideration: 1. As they are Ordinances, and ſo he was made under them to ſanctifie them; for Chriſt needed not circumciſion nor baptiſm, but by him they are ſanctified. 2. As they are types, and ſo the whole Ceremonial Law was fulfilled in Chriſt, Col. 2.17, Which are a ſhadow of things to come, but the body is Chriſt. 3. As they are burdens, and ſo they are removed by Chriſt, Act. 15.10, Now therefore, why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the diſciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.
He was then made under the Ceremonial Law, to fulfil and aboliſh it: for if Chriſt had not come and been under it, we had ſtill remained under the burden of it: but by his being a Jew, made under the Law, we enjoy theſe priviledges of freedom from that yoke which believers enjoy under the new Teſtament.
Queſt. 6. Why was the Son of God born of a Virgin, and not of a married woman?
Anſw. That he might anſwer the type given of him by the Holy-Ghoſt, in Melchiſedecs Prieſthood, Heb. 7.3, 15, Without father, without mother, without deſcent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a Prieſt continually.—And it is yet far more evident, for that after the ſimilitude of Melchiſedec, there ariſeth another Prieſt. 2. To anſwer the predictions of his miraculous conception: Chriſts being manifeſted in the fleſh was miraculous, and foretold to be ſo; and that it might be the better known to be ſo, God will have his Son come into the world in a miraculous manner, Dan. 2.45, Foraſmuch as thou ſaweſt that the ſtone was cut out of the mountain without hands, &c. As alſo he went out of the world in like manner, Act. 1.11, This ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall come in like manner as ye have ſeen him go into heaven. Therefore alſo the Angels came down at his birth, to waken up men unto the obſervation of that miracle, Luk. 2.13, 14, And ſuddenly there was with the Angels a multitude of the heavenly hoſt praiſing God, and ſaying, Glory to God in the higheſt, and on earth peace, good will towards men. It is a ſign above nature, Iſa. 7.14, Therefore the Lord himſelf ſhall give you a ſign, Behold, A virgin ſhall conceive and bear a Son, and ſhall call his name Immanuel. A matter that reaſon comprehendeth not; faith only dealeth in it. 3. Becauſe Original ſin (at leaſt the ſtain and filth thereof) cometh to us by propagation; therefore he muſt not come into the world in the ordinary way, being that he muſt be ſeparated from ſinners, and be that holy thing upon which the corruption of our nature cannot fall, Heb. 7.26. Luk. 1.35. Being alſo conceived of the Holy-Ghoſt, to ſanctifie the ſeed of the woman, Luk. 1.35, And the Angel anſwered, and ſaid unto her, The Holy-Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the higheſt ſhall over-ſhadow thee, therefore alſo that Holy thing which ſhall be born of thee ſhall be called the Son of God.
Queſt. 7. Why is Chriſt made man in the fulneſs of time, and not ſooner nor later?
Anſw. It may ſatisfie and content us, that it is written, Gal. 4.2, that was the time appointed of the Father. It liked him to appoint that time; yet for further ſatisfaction (if further be neceſſary or attainable),
Conſider, 1. God will have the world to know their own condition, to try their own wiſdom, and he will give them time to do ſo, if the world can do any thing for themſelves to deliver the creature from vanity and bondage, unto which it was made ſubject by reaſon of corruption; and when the world in ſo long time might ſee that they could do nothing for their own happineſs and Redemption, then God will ſend his Son, and let out his wiſdom in Chriſt, that had been hid from the world ever ſince the fall, when the Law of God written in mans heart was corrupted, and all things out of order; ſo that by the light of nature, and rules of virtue, no man could find out the way to happineſs, nor diſcover any thing of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 1.20, 21, Where is the wiſe? where is the ſcribe? where is the diſputer of this world? hath not God made fooliſh the wiſdom of this world? For after that in the wiſdom of God, the world by wiſdom knew not God; it pleaſed God by the fooliſhneſs of preaching to ſave them that believe.
2. God will have his people to wait long, and to be much exerciſed, before he let out great mercies, and fulfil great promiſes to them. And ſo it is in this: If in the fulfilling of the promiſe of bringing Abraham's ſeed to Canaan, he would be ſo long waited on: If in the deſtruction of Antichriſt he will be ſo many years waited on, before he fulfil his promiſe; What wonder that he will be waited on for the promiſe of Chriſt longer, even till the fulneſs of time, this being the greateſt promiſe that ever he made to his people? He will have the conſolation of Iſrael waited for, and redemption in Jeruſalem looked for, Luke 2.25, 38.
Before we proceed to ſpeak of Chriſts unction, and his qualifications for his Mediatorſhip refulting thence; let us firſt make ſome uſe of this union of the two natures in Chriſt, this great fundamental qualification of him for the Office of our Mediator, that he is God and Man; that for his due qualification he hath taken our fleſh into his perſon, therein to ſubſiſt.
In the union of the two natures in the Perſon of our Mediator, 1. As it holds forth his condeſcending, who ſtooped to be made manifeſt in the fleſh, 1. Let us admire and wonder at his love: It was love that made him condeſcend; it hath been and will be the admiration of Angels, Luke 2.13, 14, And ſuddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hoſt, praiſing God, and ſaying, Glory to God in the higheſt, and on earth peace, good will towards men. 1 Pet. 1.12, Which things the Angels deſire to look into. And how is it that we want affections and admirations? Beſide what I have before ſaid, theſe things wonderfully ſet out Chriſts love, 1. That he would not entruſt our Redemption to Angels, but he would come himſelf, and work it, Heb. 1.5, For unto which of the angels ſaid he at any time, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee? 2. That for the payment of our debt, and in order to his being in a capacity to do ſo, he would be in the ſame condition of clay with us, a worm and not a man, Pſal. 22.6. 3. That he would not buy us at a baſe ranſom, but at a great price, he would breathe out his life for us, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19, Foraſmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Chriſt. 4. That he would condeſcend thus ſingularly to love man, to love him ſo, as that he loved not any other creature that ſinned againſt him. Heb. 2.16, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham.
2. Let this raiſe up our hearts to thankfulneſs, when we think of Chriſts Incarnation, 1. This is the greateſt demonſtration of his readineſs to ſave ſinners: the principal errand Chriſt had unto the world, and in taking our nature, was to ſave ſinners, Mat. 9.13, I am not come to call the righteous, but ſinn…rs to repentance. You may therefore be aſſured of his readineſs to receive ſuch when they come unto him. 2. This is the Fountain of all the promiſes of the Covenant of Grace: the three greateſt promiſes in all the Covenant flow from Chriſts Incarnation. I will be your God: I will give you my Son: and, I will give you my Spirit. All theſe, and all the reſt too, flow from this Fountain; for neither the Father, the Son, nor the Spirit are given to us, but through a Mediator, and through his aſſuming of our nature, Eph. 1.3, Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt.
2. As the union of the two natures in our Mediator, holds out the exaltation of our nature; Hence, 1. Let us wonder what is man thus to be exalted: the eighth Pſalm is written for this end; that we may wonder at mans exaltation, not in Creation only, but in Redemption, as Verſ. 2, ſhews, which is applied to Chriſt, Mat. 21.16, Out of the mouth of babes and ſucklings, thou haſt perfected praiſe: how ſhould this provoke to admiration, that in our nature the fulneſs of the Godhead ſhould dwell bodily, Col. 2.9, 2. Let us take Chriſts coming in the fleſh, and the exalting of our nature, by the perſonal union with the Godhead, for a pledg of the fulfilling of all other promiſes, and granting all other mercies and ſalvation to us; the root and body of the promiſes is come, the branches will follow alſo, 2 Cor. 1.20, For all the promiſes of God, in him are yea, and in him are Amen. Rom. 8.32, He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? This pledg was uſed by Iſaiah, as a confirmation from God, and a ground of aſſurance for delivering the Church from Aſhur, Iſa. 7.11, 14, Ask thee a ſign of the Lord thy God, ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.—Therefore the Lord himſelf ſhall give you a ſign, Behold, A virgin ſhall conceive. and bare a Son, and ſhall call his name Immanuel. And ſhall we diſtruſt him for granting any other petition, or deliverance, who hath granted the main one? 3. Let us take boldneſs to come to God through Chriſts fleſh: the great Courtier in Heaven is of our kindred; take courage, and improve the favour and friendſhip that our brother hath in Heaven, Heb. 10.19, 20, 21, 22, Having therefore, brethren, boldneſs to enter into the holieſt by the blood of Jeſus, by a new and living way which he hath conſecrated for us, through the vail, that is to ſay, his fleſh. And having an High-prieſt over the houſe of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full aſſurance of faith.
3. As the union of the two natures in our Mediator holds out his due qualification and fitneſs for his office: 1. Behold in him a general fitneſs to receive each Perſon, whoſe nature he beareth. I ſay, a fitneſs to receive them, even all ſorts of perſons without exception; there is none who needs him and cometh to him, needs to diſtruſt him, Heb. 7.25, Wherefore he is able alſo to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them. 2. Let this encourage ſuch as are afraid to draw near to God for union and reconciliation with him, becauſe of their eſtrangement from him, through loſs of his Image: Lo, he is willing to unite himſelf to thee, and hath given aſſurance of it in his Son, by vertue of his union with our nature, Rom. 8.3. 3. When we find difficulty to draw near to God, or languiſhing in the life of our faith toward God: Let us draw near to God, the fleſh of our our Mediator, for influences, and ſearn to come to God through the vail of his fleſh, Heb. 10.20. Jeſus Chriſt is not ſtrange, he is near to us, and his graces cannot be far off, Rom. 10.6, 8, Say not in thine heart, Who ſhall aſcend into heaven? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that is the word of faith which we preach. But it is with many, and even with the moſt part, as with the ten Tribes, who pleaded kindred and blood to David, yet there were but two tribes that clave to him; and being nearer in kindred, would not be beaten from him, 1 Kings 12.16, 17. Some talk-luſtily, and bear themſelves boldly upon Chriſt in words; others are near of kin to him, and will not be beaten from him.