A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
HAving diſpatched the General Account of Chriſt's Life, as it was the Light of Men, ſhewing how we ſhould be conformed to his Image, John 1.4. and Rom. 8.20. Now I come to give a particular Account of his Life, ſhewing how Chriſt was conformed to Man's Image, even from his Conception to his Aſcenſion: All the ſteps that he took in this lower World, as He was the Son of Man.
The firſt ſtep Chriſt took upon Earth was His Conception in the Womb of the Virgin, which the Apoſtle affirmeth [Without Controverſie, a mighty Mystery] 1 Tim. 3.16. Though the Morals concerning Chris's Meekneſs, Humility, Holineſs, &c. be plain and obvious to the mind of Man, as are all the Moral Duties contained in the two Tables of the Law of Moſes: Yet the Intellectuals concerning Christ's Conceptions, are truly call'd [foreign] hard to be underſtood, which ſome wreſt to their own Deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3.16. by thruſting their dead and putrified Fancies into the boſom of the Scripture, as of a Mother thereof, like the Harlot, 1 Kings 3.19, 20. N. B. Oh would to God, there were no Strife, no Contention in the Church (but about this grand Point) which of us can be most conformable to Christ's Image in ways of Holineſs, and who can come up highest and nighest to him in Imitation of his Morals and which of us can be the best Writer after that perfect Pattern in pious Practices. We may juſtly judge it the ſhame of Mankind, that ſo many can imitate the Voices of Birds, &c. Yet ſo few do imitate the Vertues of Christ: But as to thoſe profound Points (call'd profundum ſine Fundo, a depth without a Bottom, Rom. 11.33.) and unſearchable Counſels about Christ's Conception, &c. We can better Admire, than Determine: Pruritus diſputandi destruit eccleſiam: An Itch in ſearching unſearchable Myſteries brings both the Scratch, and the Smart into the Church, ſaith the Antient Father. N.B. 'Tis ſaid, The Spirit of God moved upon the Waters, Gen. 1.2. but ſure I am, it is no other than the Spirit of the Devil, that moves ſo much upon the Waters of Strife, where Men dare be but Circumstantial in Substantials, yet ſeem ſo Substantial in Circumstantiali, which concern not the matter of Salvation: Some abſtruſe Points overcome our Intellectuals, and we cannot ſubdue them to our underſtandings: Eorum quae ſcirc nec datur, nec fas est, docta est Ignorantia: Scientiae appetentia, est inſania ſpecies: 'tis a learned Ignorance, not to know, what we may not know, 'tis a ſort of Madneſs to ſearch them, ſaith Austin: It belongs not to us to know ſecret things, but ſuch as are revealed only: 'Tis madneſs to deſire more, and 'tis equally as ridiculous as for an Eagle to deſire to Swim, or an Elephant to Fly, whereas God hath not given to either of them any ſuch Appetite: Such Curioſity in Man is from the Devil.
For a more manifeſt underſtanding of the History and Mystery of Christ's Conception, …i… neceſſary to know, as previous thereunto, the twofold Eſtate of Christ. 1. His Estate of Humiliation. 2. His Estate of Exaltation: The firſt of theſe is the matter of our preſent Diſcourſe.
In his Estate of Humiliation, there were divers Degrees or Steps, like a King coming down from his Throne, deſcendeth ſtep by ſtep, till he cometh to the laſt and loweſt Step: So the Son of God did gradually deſcend from his Royal Throne, from that Glory which he had with the Father before the World was founded, John 17.5. and did abaſe himſelf to take upon him the Nature of Man, ſo paſſed He lower and lower to his dying Day, Phil. 2, 6, 7, 8. Emptying himſelf (as, foreign there ſignifies) all along by paſſing through many little Deaths all his Life long, till at laſt he emptied himſelf out of the World by undergoing that curſed and painful Death of the Croſs, his Soul alſo being heavy to Death, Matth. 26.38. which plainly demonſtrates, that Christ at his Conception, took not only a part but the whole Nature of Man upon him, both a Body and a Soul: He took a Body of Fleſh, whereby He reconciled us, Col. 1.21, 22. even his own Body, 1 Pet. 2.24. As without Controverſie He had a Body, ſo 'tis moſt certain He had a Soul too, even the whole Nature of Man: Hence the Fathers (Irenaeus, Arbanafius, &c.) argue excellently againſt the Sophiſtical Diſputers of their Days, that had Christ but taken upon him only one Part of the Nature of Man, it had been impoſſible for Him to be our Redeemer; then had he Redeemed one Part of Man, only with that Part which He aſſumed: He had therefore a Body to redeem our Bodies, and a Soul to redeem our Souls, ſo the whole Nature of Man comes to be redeemed by Christ, who took the whole Nature in his Inparnation. Yea, 'tis expreſly ſaid, that God ſent his Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh, &c. Rom. 8.3. Omne ſimile non est idem; Every like is not the ſame, ſaith the Philoſopher. Christ indeed took not only Man's whole Nature, but alſo the Infirmites thereof, which are of two ſorts. 1. Thoſe that are ſinful: Theſe Christ took not, for no Sin was in Him, 1 Pet. 2.22. He knew no Sin, 2 Cor 5.21. with a practical Knowledge, though with an Intellectual, He knew it, elſe He could not have reprov'd it: The Sanctity of Christ's Nature did exclude all ſinful Infirmities, juſt as hot Coals ſwallow up the Water that is drop'd upon them. But 2. There be other Infirmities of our Nature, call'd Paenal, which are unblameable Paſſions, and void of Sin, ſuch as, to be Hungry, Thirsty, Weary, &c. Theſe are univerſal to all the Children of Adam: There be alſo ſuch Infirmities (beſide theſe common and univerſal) which are only Perſonal, as to have divers Diſeaſes, which ariſe from particular procuring Cauſes; theſe properly Chriſt took not on him, for He aſſumed not any Man's Perſon, but the Nature of Man; yet by way of Proportion, Chriſt is ſaid to take our Infirmities and to bear our Sickneſſes, Matth. 8.17. as he bare our Sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. ſo by Participation, he bare our Sickneſſes, for we may thank the former for the latter, Rev. 2.22. Jezebel's Bed of Security in Sin, ſoon brought her to a Bed of Sickneſs; Aſa laies God's Prophet by the heels: And God ſoon after laies Aſa by the heels, diſeaſing him in his Feet, 2 Chron. 16.10, 12. Sin is an univerſal Sickneſs, as well as the proper Cauſe of it's kinds, John 5.14. 1 Cor. 11.30, &c.
The Reaſons why Chriſt took upon him, not only our Nature, but alſo theſe Frailties of our Nature (which yet in him were ſinleſs Infirmities) are Four.
First, for ſatisfaction ſake, that he might ſatisfie for our ſins: He that muſt ſa…e for them, muſt undergo the whole puniſhment of them in the way of expiation; hen… the Prophet ſaith, He bore our griefs carry'd our ſorrows, was wounded for our Tranſgr… ſions, bruiſed for our Iniquities, and became ſurety for our ſins, &c. Iſa. 53, 4, 5, 6, … Dan. 9.24, 26. So that it may as well be ſaid (in ſano ſenſu) that Chriſt laid down to be ſick for us, as to dye for us, ſeeing all his ſorrows were not at all for himſelf … juſt one) but wholly and ſolely for our ſakes who are Sinners.
Secondly, To ſtrengthen Faith in the Incarnation, that we might know he was a very Man, becauſe he had the common weakneſſes of Mankind, as eating, ſleeping, and ſuch like; whereas had not he been ſubject to all our frailties, we might have doubted whether he had been Man or no, but this helps out belief, &c.
Thirdly, For our Example, that as he was ſubject to Hunger, Thirſt, Cold, and Nakedneſs, ſo we ſhould be contented with the like alſo when called thereunto, as our Pattern did, as above.
Fourthly, But the grand Reaſon in Scripture is rendred, for his aſſuming our Infirmities, that he might be more compaſſionate towards us, Hebr 2.17. He was made like to us … things, that he might be the more merciful, &c. A Man Viſiting the Sick (who himſelf hath had experience of the ſame Diſeaſe) will be more compaſſionate and pittiful than twenty others. This therefore makes us come with more confidence to Christ, becauſe he hath been touched with our frailties, ſaith the ſame Apostle, Heb. 4.15, 16. As he that hath been poor, or troubled with Tooth-ach, will ſhew the moſt pity to thoſe that are ſo: Thus Christ is both apt and able to ſuccour and ſave us, Heb. 2.18. and 5.7. and 7.25. Jude v. 24.
Concerning the Conception of Christ, which was the first ſtep of his ſtate of Humiliation, when the fulneſs of time came, that the Divine Nature of the Second Perſon (as it were) ſtep'd out of Heaven to aſſume Humane Nature and its frailties upon Earth according to the Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son, &c. There be Three Grand Inquiries exceeding Coſiderable here, about the manner of Christ's Incarnation, and taking our Fleſh upon him.
Firſt, Of what Matter Christ was Conceived▪
Secondly, By what Power this Conception was compleated? and
Thirdly, What ſtrange Commotions there were about his Conception?
The Anſwer to the firſt is this, That the Matter Chriſt was Conceived of (1.) Negatively, Firſt, He was not made of nothing, as the World was at the Creation: Secondly, Nor was he raiſed out of the dead earth, as Adam was; nor Thirdly, Did he bring his Fleſh with him out of Heaven, as ſome fondly imagine: But (2.) Poſſitively, He was Conceived of the living fleſh of the holy Virgin, Gal. 4.4. when fulneſs of time was come, God (who doth all things, pondere, menſurâ, & numero, as Plato ſaith, in weight, meaſure, and number: Therefore as he never comes too ſoon, ſo nor doth he ever ſtay too long, but times his mercies in the beſt ſeaſon, Iſa. 30.18.) then he ſent forth his Son (even out of his own boſom, Joh. 1.18. loe how he loved us, Joh. 11.36.) to be made of a Woman, that is, of the ſanctified ſubſtance of the holy Virgin. N. B. Note this, (againſt the Marcionites and others that do deny it) and made under the Law, &c. With this Apoſtle concurs the Angel of God, ſaying to the Virgin [foreign] Hail thou highly favoured, &c. Luke 1.28. loe thou ſhalt conceive in thy Womb the Holy Child Jeſus, ver. 30, 31. The Son of the Higheſt, ver. 32. And though thou know not: a Man, yet the Holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the moſt High ſhall overſhadow thee (as once he did the confuſed Chaos in the World's Creation, hovering over it, and hatching out the Creature as the Hen doth the Chickens) therefore that Holy thing which ſhall be born of thee, (that is, as foreign, the Greek word implys, of thy Fleſh and Subſtance) ſhall be called the Son of God, ver. 34, 35. Some Heterodox Men hold, that Chriſt brought his Fleſh from Heaven, and that he paſſed through the Virgin's Womb, as Water paſſeth through a Conduit-pipe: But the Orthodox believe from thoſe two Scripture Teſtimonies, &c. That the matter whereof Chriſt was conceived, was the Fleſh of the Virgin, becauſe alſo, had he taken other Foreign Fleſh, or brought it from Heaven, this would have made him an unmeet Redeemer; for by the order of Divine Juſtice, the ſame nature that ſinned, muſt ſuffer for ſin: As it was Man that had ſinned, ſo it muſt be Man that muſt be puniſhed; therefore took Chriſt the Fleſh of a Woman, &c.
The Second Inquiry is, by what Power Christ was Conceived?
Anſwer (1.) Negatively, It was not done by the power of Nature, for all that are conceived by ordinary generation, are ſinful; who can bring (ſaith Job) a clean thing out of an unclean, Job 14.4. As if he had ſaid, 'tis the common lot of all Mankind, proceeding from ſinful Parents, to be unclean, and unavoidably infected with Original Corruption: And Jeſus himſelf confirms that of Job, ſaying [that which is born of the fleſh is fleſh,] Joh. 3.6. corruptus corruptum, faln Adam begat a Son after his own faln Image, Gen. 5.3. by this one Man ſin entred upon all, Rom. 5.12. ſo that by nature all are Children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. whole man is in evil, and whole evil is in man: The firſt man defiled nature, and ever ſince nature hath defiled every Man: Hence David candidly confeſſeth [that he was conceived in Sin, and ſhapen in Iniquity,] Pſal. 51.5. He look'd upon his Original Sin to be the ſad Source and corrupt Fountain from whence all his filthy ſtreams flowed.
Anſwer (2.) Poſſitively, Therefore this ſinleſs Babe of Bethlehem was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghoſt, ſo ſaith Luke afore quoted, Luke 1.35. And Matthew makes forth the ſame great truth ſaying [that (Holy thing) conceived in Mary, is of the Holy Ghoſt] Matth. 1.20. as the efficient, not as the material cauſe; the power of nature could never have brought forth ſuch a pure Redeemer, no more than a Tree can by nature bring forth a Chair of State; though it ſhould grow a thouſand years, yet it could not grow of it ſelf into the form of a Royal Throne, this faſhion it muſt receive from a Skilfull Artiſt, though the ſubſtance of ſuch a Seat be in it. So though Chriſt were in the loins of Adam. yet Nature could never be able to bring forth Chriſt; no, this could only be effected by the power of the Holy Ghoſt. The Virtus formatrix, or formative faculty (which the Virgin had not) is aſcribed to this power, wherewith the Holy Ghoſt framed and faſhioned Chriſt of the fleſh or ſubſtance of the Virgin, ſanctified miraculouſly, and without Man's help. Thus Chriſt is ſaid to be conceived of the Holy Ghoſt three ways;
Firſt, The Godhead did ſanctifie that part of the Virgins Fleſh whereof Chriſt was made, ſevering and purifying it from ſin and corruption, as the Cunning Artificer draws droſs from the Gold, &c.
Secondly, The Holy Ghoſt did frame and faſhion that part of the Virgin's Fleſh (ſo purified, ſo ſanctified) and made it a fit Houſe or Temple for his Godhead to dwell in: Therefore is He call'd [that Holy thing] Luke 1.35. and that Holy of Holys, wherein the Godhead dwelt bodily, Col. 2.9. that is Perſonally.
Thirdly, He did Unite the Humane Nature to the Divine, ſo made one perſon of both, ſo He is call'd the Son of God, very often in the holy Scripture.
N. B. The Myſtery of this Hiſtory is manifold, As Firſt the Abſtruſe profound Speculations hereupon, which the Learned, both Antient and Modern, have collected hence.
(1.) Auguſtin ſaith though Chriſt be call'd (by the Angel) the Son of God, yet was He not the Son of the Holy Ghoſt, as He was the Son of the Holy Virgin, for He was not Conceived of Him; as he was of Her. He was Conceived of Her, as of a Mother, not of the Holy Ghoſt as of a Father, leſt there ſhould ſeem to be Two Fathers in the Holy Trinity: We muſt not ſay (ſaith He) that the Holy Ghoſt was born of the Dove (in whoſe ſhape He appeared, Mat. 3.16.) As Chriſt was of the Woman, becauſe the Spirit came not down to Redeem the Doves (as Chriſt did to Redeem Mankind born of a Woman) but to ſignifie unto us by that ſignificant form all Spiritual Innocency, Amicableneſs and Love to little Ones, found in thoſe that have the Spirit.
(2.) Another Curious Notion of the Learned is, that Chriſt was call'd Shilo, Gen. 49.10. becauſe that Hebrew Name ſignifies a Secondine, which is the Tunicle wherein the Child lyes wrapped up ſecure in its Mothers Womb, Hence Chriſt was call'd Shilo, as He was the Son of Mary's Secondines, ut oſtenderet Chriſtum de Matre abſ que patre Naſciturum, to ſhew that the Bleſſed Virgin's Secondines alone, brought him forth without the help of Man: Hence is He ſaid to be without Father, as Man, and without Mother, as God, Heb. 7.3.
The (3.) Is That this Precious Pearl (as Chriſt is call'd, Mat. 13.45, 46.) Ex Rore Spiritus Sancti in Conchâ Virginis erat conceptus: As Pearls are made up of Dew in a Shellfiſh; ſo Chriſt was Conceived of the Spirit's Dew, in the Virgin's Womb: Beſides Daniel tells us, that this precious Little Stone, was not Digg'd out of the Bowels of the Earth, but was cut out of the Mountains of Heaven, a moſt curious piece and a Cut of the Art of Heaven, even the overſhadowings of the Holy-Ghoſt, and All this without hands, Dan. 2.34, and 45. or any Humane Helps.
The (4.) Is, That Chriſt is not call'd the Son of God in reſpect of his Humane Nature, for then there would be in the Perſon of Chriſt two Sons, One of the Father, and Another of the Holy Ghoſt. Chriſt was Conceived of the Holy Ghoſt, non … matically but Operatively, yet ſo Secretly and Myſtically, as the Virgin her ſelf … not How. Luke 1.34.
The (5) is, That as no Mother know's the manner of her Natural Conception, ſo much leſ… can me…o Fleſh and Blood conceive Aright of the wonderful Conception of Chriſt, Pſal. 139.14, 15. & Eph. 4.9. 'tis high preſumption for us to ſearch into ſo deep a myſtery. The Union of Three Perſons into One Nature in the Trinity, and the Union of two Natures into one Perſon in Chriſt's Incarnation, are Deep Wells, and (as ſhe ſaid; John 4.11.) we want wherewith to draw, 'Tis a Great Myſtery, 1 Tim. 3.16.
But to let paſs thoſe Nicer Notions, yet Solid Speculations of the Learned (whereof many more might be mentioned by me, If they did not more Appertain to Academick Schools than to an Evangelical Pulpit) I come now to more Practical Points, and to Declare that Myſtery of Godlineſs, which is couched and comprehended in the Hiſtory of Chriſt's Conception.
As Firſt, Lo here, How low did our Lord ſtoop in his firſt ſtep of his State of Humiliation. N. B. Chriſt ſtoop'd thus low to begin at the far end of Sin, which begins at our Conception. The Seond Adam was not made a perfect man at the firſt, as the Firſt Adam was. Chriſt Condeſcended ſo low, as was
(1.) The Diſtance betwixt His Father's Boſom, John 1.18. and the Foundation Stone, Iſa. 28.16. which is always Firſt laid, and laid always loweſt, yea ſometimes (in ſome Stately Structures) is laid by ſome Royal Hand: Sure I am, This ſure Foundation-ſtone was laid by a Royal Hand, even by the Almighty Hand of the King of Kings [I have laid it▪ ſaith the Lord.] And He laid it Low (fundamenta latent) yea as low as Hell in his Agony and Suſſerings, &c. Oh how this Foundation-ſtone did ſweat (as the common ones commonly do againſt a Storm) even [foreign] Grumos ſanguinis, Clods of Blood before the ſtorm of his Paſſion, Luke 22.44. And this foundation-ſtone was firſt laid, both before The Foundation of the World in the Eternal Purpoſe of God, Eph. 1.4. & 3.11. 1 Pet. 1.20. Tit. 1.2. Rev. 13.8. and 17.8. And at the Foundation of the World too in the Evangelical Promiſe of God, Gen. 3.15. Christ is the first born of every new Creature, Col. 1.15. and before all things, ver. 17. moreover this Foundation-Stone, that it might the better bear up the weight of the whole Fabrick, (according as the nature of the place and the matter do require) is both broader and ſtronger than the reſt of the Building, both by the grace of Union, and by the grace of Unction: Chriſt was the Broader by the Hypostatical Ʋnion of his two Natures, and by the Extraordinary Ʋnction wherewith he was Anointed above all his Fellows, Pſal. 45.7. Receiving the Spirit without meaſure, Joh. 3.34. And he was the ſtronger by both thoſe ways of Ʋnion and of Ʋnction, as having a Divine Nature, as well as an Humane, and the former to corroborate the latter. Thus Nature provides deepeſt Roots for talleſt Cedars: quantùm vertice, tantùm radice, the higher the Tree or Structure, the deeper is the root or foundation: Auſtin ſaith, rebus ad ima tendentibus in i…o ponitur fundamentum, &c. An Houſe's Foundation is laid low, becauſe by its own weight it preſſeth downward, but there it is ſtaid in its place hereby from ſinking lower. So not can the Church ſink lower than Christ, who is our Eliakim, on whom all Veſſels of grace (great and ſmall) hang firmly, Iſa. 22.24.
(2.) Christ ſtooped ſo low herein as is the diſtance betwixt the Sate of Innocency, and the faln State. Here was ſtooping upon ſtooping: In the former Chriſt abaſed himſelf more, than if a King (for the good of his Subjects) ſhould be content to become a Toad. This were a great Abaſement, but behold that was a greater in Christ; for the Philoſopher could ſay [there is no proportion betwixt a finite and an infinite Being] greater is the diſproportion betwixt the Son of God, and the Son of Man, than betwixt the moſt Glorious King, and the moſt contemptible Creature in the World: God is the Maker of them both, Prov. 22.2. and all Creatures are not only made by the ſame hand, but alſo of the ſame matter, the King and the Toad are both made up of Earth, and when they dye, both are turned into Earth again; yea into ſuch Earth as cannot be diſtinguiſhed the one from the other. But in this latter here is ſtill a lower ſtoop: That Chriſt ſhould aſſume the faln Nature of Man: It was Solomon's Wonder [But will God dwell on the Earth, behold the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee, &c.] 1 Kin. 8.27. How much leſs this Temple though made ſo glorious as Hands of Mortals could make it. That was wonderful Condeſcenſion; yet this is more that God would vouchſafe to Dwell in the very Defaced and Burnt Temple: The State of Man's Innocency was like the Temple in its. Glory, then all Creatures did Him Homage, Had the Son of God taken that firſt State of Adam upon him (though that had been much) yet this is more to take the Faln State upon him, when Man's Nature was faln into Diſgrace with God his Maker, and was bound over to the Devil by his Treaſonable Diſobedience. While a Nobleman keeps the King's favour and his own Splendour and Grandeur, 'tis no Diſgrace for his Men to wear his Livery, as it is when He is Proclaimed Traitor. And this was Chriſt's Caſe of Condeſcenſion, to take the Nature of Man, when faln into Diſgrace with God, &c. Yet the Son of God was not aſhamed to wear the Livery of this Faln Nature, nor to call Sinful Mortals his Brethren, Heb. 2.11. Taking not only the Subſtance of our Fleſh, and all the properties of our Bodies, and all the faculties of our Souls, but alſo the Unblameable Infirmities of our Nature, as to be Hungry, Thirſty, Weary, (as before) yea to grow in Stature, and to Increaſe in Wiſdom and Knowledge, &c. Luke 2.52. Chriſt took our Miſerable, not our Culpable Infirmities upon him: and Chriſt did not grow in the Knowledge of Viſion, or in that Infuſed (this belongs to Saints on Earth, as That to the Glorified in Heaven) both thoſe Chriſt had in perfection from the firſt, but in Natural, Acquired, and Experimental Knowledge only, ſuch as to be Angry and Grieved, Mark. 3.5 & 6.6. and to be Ignorant of ſome things, Mark 13.32. Mat. 24.36. The Son knew not the laſt day but from the Father, This was Ignorantia morae privations, non pravae Diſpoſitionis. Notewel. If Chriſt thus humbled Himſelf that he might Suffer for us both in Soul and Body, &c. How ſhould we be content to be Humbled even to a Nothingneſs for His Glory, and the Churche's Good? and how ſhould we be content to be Humbled One for Another? The ſame Mind that was in Chriſt ſhould be in us, Phil. 2.5, 6, 7. and we ſhould waſh one another's Feet as He gave an Example, John 13.14, 15. 'Tis a ſhame for Man to be ſo-Proud where God hath been ſo Humble, &c.
Notewel, Secondly, As Chriſt was Conceived in the Womb of the Virgin, ſo muſt He be Conceived in the Heart of a Chriſtian, Gal. 4.19. Paul had a Travelling Spirit, till Chriſt were formed in them: This he did promote by two Means. (1.) By caſting the Seed of the Word into their Souls, which being Hid in the Heart, Pſal. 119.11. and Well Watered there by the Ordinances, will Through Grace breed Chriſt. (2.) He preſſeth them to min …his word with Faith, Heb. 4.2. otherwiſe It will be as a Miſcarrying Womb; No ſooner did Mary Believe what the Angel had told her, but ſhe ſtraight way Conceived Chriſt, Luke 1.35, 38. So Faith is a neceſſary Ingredient for Conceiving Chriſt Spiritually, for Chriſt dwells in our Hearts by Faith, Eph. 3.17. All which we may know by the …abe's Motion as in the Womb. And without this we can have no comfort in the Literal, unleſs we can feel the ſtirrings of the Spiritual Conception alſo. The Antients ſay, That Mary carry'd Chriſt [foreign] in her Heart, as well as [foreign] in her Arms.
Notewel, Thirdly, As the Literal ſo the Spiritual Conception cannot be wrought by any Power of Nature, but by the Overſhadowings of the Spirit of Grace. As the Watry Cloud Overſhadows a Fleece of Wool, and the Rain thereof ſoaks and ſinks into it inſenſibly, ſo did the Spirit into the Virgin's Womb, and ſo ſometimes into our Hearts. Many may abound with the Power of Nature, and be indued with all Natural Excellencies, yet not have Chriſt Conceived or formed in their Hearts: This cannot be till the Power of the Holy Ghoſt come upon us, (which the Wiſeſt Sages, and the greateſt Luminaries of the Heathen World were ſtrangers to, 1 Cor. 2.8. Eph. 4.18.) No man can ſay that Jeſus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 12.3. There can be no fiducial Aſſent of the Heart to own Chriſt as our Lord, but by the Spirit.
Notewel, Fourthly. As Chriſt was Conceived by the Holy Ghoſt, that Man's Nature and Sin might be Severed Aſunder All born from the firſt Adam had Nature and Sin ſo joined together, that none could take Man's Nature, but He muſt take his Sin too, till the ſecond Adam came to part theſe two by his Supernatural Conception. So All that have Chriſt Conceived in their Hearts by the Over-ſhadowings of the Spirit, ſhall feel this parting Power of Chriſt, who was the firſt from Adam that purify'd Man's Nature and parted it from Sin. Thus it was in Regenerated Paul [The good He would do, He did not, The evil He would not Do, He Did,] Rom. 7.19, Sin was one thing in him, and Nature (Imported in the word I) was another, would to God we may All have this parting power of Chriſt, to ſay as the Apoſtle ['tis no more I, but Sin that Dwells in me,] that though we keep the Nature of Man, yet Sin may be parted from us: As a ſpark of Fire may but up Towns and Cities, &c. So this Spirit of Burning can conſume a World of Corruption in us.
Notewel. The Fifth Myſtery ariſes from the Third Particular, to wit, The Commotion at Chriſt's Conception [Joſeph cannot ſleep, Mary muſt be put away, and the Angel muſt come to quiet all, &c.] Mat. 1.19, 20. Thus there is much ado when Chriſt is conceived in any Chriſtian Heart, ſuch a one preſently becomes a Table-Talk, A Song of the Drunkards, Pſal. 69.12. Men ſay, He is Mad or (at leaſt) Melancholy, Acts 2.13, 15. & Mark 3.21. Oh what a Rout is made about it, and nothing but an Angel from Heaven can huſh all, not only without in the World, but alſo within in the Chriſtian's own Conſcience, &c.