God-Man, Exposition · Verse 14

God-Man · Exposition · Verse 14

p. 205Verſ. 14. And the Word was made fleſh, and dwelt amongſt us; and we beheld the glory thereof, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Son of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.

Heretofore the Evangeliſt having proved the Divinity of Chriſt's manifeſtation in the fleſh, and the glory of his Perſon in both Natures.Jeſus Chriſt, he commeth now to tell us of his manifeſtation in the fleſh, and of the glory of his Perſon, conſiſting of both Natures. So as this Verſe calleth to us for attention, becauſe it holdeth forth the Object of our faith, the Perſon of Chriſt, in both his Natures. And certainly, every ſoul that is married to Chriſt, will be affected with his Perſon, and therefore deſirous to hear of that. The difference between a wife and a harlot is, The wife deſires, and loveth the husband's perſon, therefore careth not for his tokens, unleſſe his perſon be enjoyed: The harlot loveth the token, and careth not for the perſon. It is the property of the Spouſe, not to be content with the Love-tokens of Chriſt, but with the Perſon of Chriſt. And concerning him, ye have four things laid down here.

Firſt, The Incarnation of Jeſus Chriſt, The Word was made fleſh.

Secondly, His Converſation on earth, And dwelt amongſt us.

Thirdly, Here is a ſpeciall manifeſtation of his glory, And we behold his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten of the Father.

Fourthly, The ſingular Qualifications of his Perſon, Full of grace and truth.

Firſt, I ſhall begin with the Incarnation of Chriſt, in theſe words,

And the Word was made fleſh.

A Clauſe, out of which, Bees may ſuck hony, and Spiders may gather poiſon. Theſe words have been a ſtumbling-block to many Hereticks; and, on the other ſide, a ſure and ſtrong hold to many Saints. Some think, that when the children of Iſrael were in the land of Goſhen, and had p. 206ſome Egyptians mixed with them; at the ſame time the Scriptures are light to Saints, darkneſſe to unbelievers.Hebrewes drew wholeſome waters out of the fountains, and the Egyptians bloody water at the ſame ſprings; and that it was dark to the Egyptians in the ſame houſe, and light to the Hebrewes. If ſo, me-thinks, It affordeth that which may lead us into the Conſideration of this, and the like places of Scripture. Hereticks have darkneſſe, and Believers light. The one draweth bloody waters, and the other wholeſome waters out of the ſame Text of Scripture, as ye ſhall hear in the application, what uſe may be made of this Clauſe. Apollinarius ſaith, That becauſe the Word was made fleſh. Therefore, Chriſt took upon his fleſh, the body, but not the ſoul of a man.

Three things are here to be declared to you.

Firſt, Who is meant by the Word.

Secondly, What is meant by the Fleſh.

Thirdly, In what ſenſe the word was made Fleſh.

Firſt, The divine nature of Chriſt is in the Word.

Secondly, The human nature of Chriſt, The Fleſh.

Thirdly, The perſonall union, The Word made Fleſh.

Theſe are myſteries, by ſome more ſpoken of, and leſſe underſtood. Things that we cannot be ignorant of, without danger; nor diſcourſe of, without all Reverence. Things that no Eloquence of man can reach, no ſoul of man apprehend in the full latitude of them; Yet ſome thing we ſhall ſpeak hereof by God's aſſiſtance.

Firſt, Who is here meant by the Word? I anſwer, the 1. By the Word, is meant the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity.ſecond perſon in the Trinity ſo called, in that known place, There are three that bear witneſſe in Heaven, the Father, and the Word, and the Spirit; and theſe three, are one, 1 Joh. 5. 8. The ſame perſon that is called the word, in the beginning of this Chapter, is ſaid, to be with God. I ſhall not ſpeak of that, becauſe heretofore I have been large in it, but come to the ſecond.

Secondly, What is here meant by Fleſh? Fleſh ſignifieth 2. By Fleſh, is meant the whole man.the whole man in diverſe places of Scripture. Man ye know conſiſteth of two parts, which are ſometimes called fleſh, and ſpirit, and ſometimes called ſoul, and body. Now by a Synecdoche, either of theſe parts may be put p. 207for the whole; ſometimes the ſoul is put for the whole man. As when it is ſaid, there were ſo many ſouls in the Act. 27. 37. Gen. 46. 27.Acts 27:37Gen 46:27ſhip with Paul. And ſeventy ſouls went down into Egypt with Jacob; ſometimes fleſh, or body, is put for the whole man, Rom. 12. 1. I beſeech you brethren, by the Mercies of God, offer up your bodies a living ſacrifice. That is, offer up your ſelves. And ſometimes, fleſh, which is the word in the Text, Rom. 3. 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the Law, ſhall no fleſh be juſtified in his ſight, Compare that with, Pſal. 143. 2. where it is ſaid, In thy ſight ſhall no man living be juſtified. No fleſh, ſaith Paul. No man, ſaith David; So fleſh is the whole man.

To clear this, ſome Quaeries would be reſolved. Quaeries.

Firſt, whether Chriſt aſſumed the nature of man, or 1. Whether Chriſt aſſumed the nature, or perſon of Man.the perſon of a man, the whole man. He did aſſume the ſoul, as well as the body, both under the tearm, fleſh. And indeed, unleſſe, he had aſſumed the whole man, the whole man could not have been ſaved, ſaith Damazen. That which was not taken, could not be healed. If Chriſt had not taken the whole man, He could not have ſaved the ſoul.

To the firſt Quaery, Whether the nature of man, or the perſon of man?

I anſwer, The nature of man, and not a ſingle perſon. Reſponſ. It will be dangerous to miſtake here. If Chriſt had onelyonly He aſſumed the nature, and not a ſingle perſon.taken the perſon of a man, then there muſt have been two perſons in Chriſt; a perſon aſſuming, and a perſon aſſumed. Yea then, that onelyonly perſon which Chriſt aſſumed, ſhould have been advanced, and ſaved; He ſhould have ſaved that perſon, and no other, if he had aſſumed the perſon of a man. With us, the ſoul, and body, being united, make a perſon. But in Chriſt, the ſoul and body were ſo united, as to have their ſubſiſtence not of themſelves (as in us) but in the Godhead. No ſooner was the ſoul united in the body, but both ſoul and body had ſubſiſtence in the ſecond perſon in the Trinity. So, not the aſſuming of a perſon, but the nature of a man, common to all the ſons, and daughters of Adam, and Eve. Therefore he took not the nature of the Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham, Hebr. 2. 16. Seed, the firſt element of our nature, before our perſons come to have any ſubſiſtence.

p. 208Secondly, Why did Chriſt take the nature of man? Quaery. 2

I anſwer, That he might be a fit Mediator. That leſſon Why the nature of Man.the Apoſtle giveth you, Hebr. 2. 14. Becauſe the Children were partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo took part Reſp. 2 of the ſame, that through death he might deſtroy him, that That he might be a fit Mediator.had the power of death, that is, the Devill. His taking the nature of man, conduced to his being a Prieſt; For if he had not been man, he could not have died. And that he might be a fit Prophet: A Prophet will God raiſe up to you, like to me ſaith Moſes. It was fit, and convenient for them to have a man Prophet, becauſe they were not able to hear Angels, unleſſe they died. And that he might be a fit King: The head of one nature, and members of another, make a Monſter, Hebr. 2. 11. Both he, that ſanctifyeth, and they, that are ſanctified, are all of one nature. Chriſt is of the ſame nature with thoſe, that are ſanctified and governed by Him.

Thirdly, The third Quaery is, whether did Chriſt take Quaery. 3 our nature in its Integrity, and perfection, as it was before Whether he took our nature as before the fall, or as after.the fall, or our nature cloathed with infirmities, as after the fall?

I anſwer, He took our nature cloathed with infirmities, as after the fall; which is implied in the word Fleſh. There Reſponſ. 3 is a Reaſon, certainly, why the Holy Ghoſt rather choſe to He took our nature, as after the fall.ſay, Why, the Word was made fleſh, then why, the Word was made man; becauſe it is according to the phraſe of Scripture, when it would ſpeak contemptibly of man, and ſhew him to be the loweſt Creature, to call him, fleſh, when it would ſet forth the weakneſſe, that man is ſubject to. To give you one, or two Inſtances, inſtead of many, Pſal. 56. 4. I will not fear what fleſh can do unto me, that is, weak and infirm frail man; what Fleſh can do unto me. And again, Pſal. 78. 39. He remembreth that we are but fleſh, a wind that paſſeth away, and cometh not again. So then the word was made fleſh, that is, took not onelyonly man's nature, but man's infirmities; which are expreſſed in that word fleſh. And that he did take our nature, with the infirmities thereof, appeareth by, Iſai. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our ſorrows, our infirmities.

p. 2094. The fourth Querie is, Whether Chriſt did take all the Quaer. 4 infirmities of our fleſh, yea or no?Whether Chriſt took all our Infirmities upon him?

I anſwer, No. Our infirmities are of two ſorts; ſome penall and painfull infirmities; others ſinfull and culpable infirmities. Thoſe that are culpable and ſinfull, Chriſt did not take; for the Prince of this world came, and had nothing in Reſponſ. Ne∣gativè. him. But thoſe that were penall infirmities, thoſe he took; but not all of them neither: for they are of two ſorts, either Sinfull infirmities Chriſt did not take; nor Penall, as Perſonall; but Penall, as Naturall.Perſonall, proper to ſome few men and women, as to be inclined by birth to the Stone, or Gout, or Strangury, or Leproſie, or ſome other hereditary diſeaſe; or Naturall, common to all the ſons and daughters of Adam, as to be ſubject to pain, and grief, and ſorrow, and hunger, and thirſt, and cold. The former of theſe Chriſt did not take, becauſe they would have been impediments to him in his Function; but the latter of theſe he did take.

5. The fifth Querie is, Why did Chriſt take theſe infirmities, Quaer. 5 implyed in the word fleſh?Why did Chriſt take theſe infirmities?

I anſwer, For diverſe ends, which I will but name, and have done. He took theſe infirmities of our nature, as well as the nature it ſelf, To ſhew the truth of his Humanity. He Reſponſ. had a nature that could hunger, and thirſt, even as other men 1. To ſhew the truth of his Humanity.could. He took them, that he might ſanctifie them to us. Whatſoever Chriſt took, that he ſanctified. Saith Luther, Chriſt enriched poverty, by becoming poor; and glorified ſhame, by enduring ſhame for us. 2. He took our infirmities, That he might ſet us an example of an holy life. Had not 2. To give us an example of an holy life.Chriſt been ſubject to paſſion, he could never have ſet us an example of meekneſſe or patience, if he himſelf had not been liable to paſſion, yet without ſin. Laſtly, He took 3. That we might have acceſſe to him with boldneſstheſe infirmities, That we might confide the more in him, and have acceſſe to him with boldneſſe. Conſider him an High Prieſt, that was ſubject to infirmities as well as our ſelves. We have not an high Prieſt which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points touched as we are, yet without ſin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace. Thus ye ſee who is meant by the Word, and what is meant by Fleſh.

I now proceed to ſhew you, in what ſenſe the Word is ſaid to be made fleſh.

p. 210Firſt, We muſt remove a falſe ſenſe; then, aſſert the true.

The Word was made fleſh. (Take it in the phraſe of Athanaſius The Word made fleſh by taking the Manhood into God, not by converting the Godhead into Man.his Creed) Not by converſion of the Godhead into Man, but by the taking of the Manhood into God. Quod erat permanſit, quod non erat aſſumpſit; They were wont to ſing ſo in an antient Liturgy. Chriſt remaineth without any change in him, as God. I ſpeak according to the meaning of that old Aenigmaticall Verſe:

Sum, quod eram; quod eram, non ſum; nunc dicor utrumque.

It is ſaid in the Perſon of Chriſt, I am what I was, to wit, God ſtill; I was not what I am, to wit, Man; I am called both, to wit, God-Man. To clear it by the application of the Text, The Word was made fleſh. Chriſt is called the Word, particularly in reference to that internall word and conceptions, that are in a man's heart. Now if a man manifeſt his own conceptions, What doth he do? He aſſumeth a voice, as it were, and, by that voice, makes men to hear what his conception is. This Word was that that it was before, yet it was manifeſted in the fleſh, without any change of what he was. Here ye have the falſe ſenſe removed.

Let the true ſenſe now be aſſerted. The Word was made fleſh; that is, He aſſumed the Human Nature into By aſſuming the human nature into the union of his Perſon.the union of his perſon. He that was God before from everlaſting, doth now take man into the unity of his Perſon; onelyonly there is this difference in it, The phraſe ſeemeth to import ſomething more, becauſe it is ſaid, The Word was made fleſh. And that ſome Hereticks catch at, becauſe, they ſay, One thing cannot be made another without ſome Object. change. As at the marriage in Canaan, water was made wine, and then it ceaſed to be water; ſo, ſay they, If the Word be made fleſh, it muſt ceaſe to be the Word, for it is now made another thing.

For Anſwer to this, firſt, There is no neceſſity of tranſlating Anſw. 1 it, Made; foreign, The Word became fleſh. So, foreign, 1 Cor. 9. 20. Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, ſaith Paul; foreign, I became. So, the Word became p. 211fleſh, by a voluntary aſſumption of the Manhood. So then, the Objection is waved, for it lyeth wholly in the Tranſlation, The Word was made fleſh.

Secondly, Let the Tranſlation ſtand, yet it will not overthrow Anſw. 2 what hath been ſaid; becauſe every thing that is made another, is not infallibly changed it ſelf. Let us therefore diſtinguiſh of a Naturall change; and a Civill change; a Phyſicall change, and a Politicall change. When one thing indeed is made another by a Phyſicall change, then it ceaſeth to be what it was before, as when the water was made wine. But one perſon may be made another, in a way of Politicall change, and yet continue what it was before: As, When one that is inveſted with Titles and Royalties of an higher nature, is pleaſed, out of condeſcention; to aſſume ſome lower Title to himſelf; as, When a Soveraign Prince is pleaſed to be made or created Knight of the Garter; when an Engliſh Earl is made a Gentleman of Venice: Here is the King made a Knight, and the Earl a Gentleman, and yet continue what they were: They have aſſumed a lower dignity, without diſparagement to what they were before. And ſome of our Kings have been made free of this City of London, in ſome Companies: and it was an honour to the Company, not a diſparagement to the Prince. So it is with Chriſt, He honored that Nature he aſſumed, and not loſt that Nature which he had. Thus you ſee the meaning of this Clauſe, The Word was made fleſh. Let us now ſee what Uſe may be made of it.

Firſt, We ſhall apply the whole Clauſe, and then draw Uſe 1 ſome inſtances from particulars.

The whole Clauſe may be of uſe, for the confutation of For Confutation of Hereticks.many Hereticks. Our Evangeliſt here aimed at the confutation of Hereticks, when he writ this Goſpel; and this one Clauſe knocketh many of them in the head. It hath been the lot of the Church of Chriſt, to be alwaies conflicting, more or leſſe, with that kind of men. For the firſt three hundred years after Chriſt, the great thing then was by Perſecution; but after God had ſtirred up Conſtantine, the Devil leaveth playing the Lion, and turned to the Fox; what he could not obtain by force, he now ſeeks by fraud; and inſtead of Perſecution, raiſeth up Hereſies. And look p. 212as now adaies, that which ſhould unite all Chriſtians together, namely, the Lord's Supper, which we therefore call the Communion, is made the greateſt matter of Contention in the world. The Lutherans and Ca…viniſts fall out about Conſubſtantiation, Lutherans and Papiſts about Tranſubſtantiation. The Lord's Supper is made a meer matter of quarrell, by the ſubtlety of Satan. So of old, this Perſonall Union, of which I have ſpoken all this while, the two Natures, God and Man, in one Perſon, was the great matter of diviſion in the Churches of Chriſt. Many Hereticks ſtruck at this, and this Text meeteth with many of them; I ſhall inſtance in four, but not trouble you long about them; but a little is fit to be ſaid, that we may know what was done in former ages. Great uſe is of Evangelicall Hiſtory. There is the Hereſie of

The Arians,

All confuted by this Clauſe.

The Apollinarians,

The Neſtorians,

The Eutychians,

The Arians held, That Jeſus Chriſt was not true God. 1. The Arians opinion confuted.This Text calleth him the Word, and maketh him a Perſon in the Trinity. It ſaith, The Word was with God, and the Word was God, and that Word was made fleſh.

The Apollinarians acknowledge him to be God, yea, and 2. The Apollinarians opinion confutedMan too; but they held, That he took onelyonly the Body of a Man, not the Soul of a Man; but they ſay, His Divinity ſupplied the room of a Soul. We interpret the word [Fleſh] rightly, for the whole human nature. Therefore the Apollinarians are confuted here too.

The Neſtorians grant him to be both God and Man; but 3. The Neſtorians opinion confuted.then they ſay, The Godhead made one Perſon, and the Manhood another Perſon. We interpret the word [Made] rightly, according as it holdeth forth an Hypoſtaticall Union. and remember what was ſaid of Chriſt's aſſuming, not the perſon of man, but the nature of man. That Hereſie is then confuted. Here is God and Man, two Natures, but one Perſon.4. The Eutychians opinion confuted.

The Eutychians held but one Perſon in Chriſt; then they confounded the Natures. They ſay, That the Godhead p. 213and Manhood make ſuch a mixture, as to produce a Third thing. Here they are confuted, by the right underſtanding of the Hypoſtaticall Union. I will not perplex your underſtandings with theſe things; onelyonly ſee the care of the Church of God of old. It met with all theſe ſorts of Hereticks in four Adverbs; the old Councills brought in the word foreign, Truly, to oppoſe the Arians; that implyeth, that Chriſt was true God. The word foreign, Perfectly, to oppoſe the Sine Naturarum convulſioneApollinarians, to ſhew, he was perfectly Man, conſiſting of a Soul, and of a Body. The word foreign, Undividedly, to oppoſe the Neſtorians, to ſhew, that his Natures were not divided. And then the word foreign, Unmixtly, to Inconfuſè.oppoſe the Eutychians, who ſo mingled the Natures, as to make a third thing out of both.

We now come to what remaineth in the Particulars: See what they will afford us.

Firſt, That which concerneth the Divinity of Chriſt, the 1. The Wiſdom and the Love of God to be admired.Word; what hath been ſaid of that, may ſerve to fill us all with admiration, of the love and wiſdom of our God, in ordering ſo, that his own Son, the Second Perſon in the Trinity, the Word, ſhould be made fleſh for our ſalvation. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son. Here is love indeed! Hardly will a man part with an onelyonly ſon, yet God doth; He ſpared not his own Son, but gave him to death for us all. And yet, haply, a man may have ſuch a ſon, that he careth not for; But what ſaith the voice from Heaven? This is my beloved Son. And yet he ſo loved the world, as to part with his beloved Son. One may have a ſon that he loveth, and yet be diſpleaſed with him, as David was with Abſolom; but this Son did pleaſe the Father, and yet this Son is given to die. O the admirable love of God, ſhining in this, that the Second Perſon in the Trinity, is ſet on work to procure our Redemption! Though Reaſon could never have found out ſuch a way, yet, when God hath revealed it, Reaſon, though but ſhallow, can ſee a fitneſſe in it; becauſe there being a neceſſity, that the Saviour of man ſhould be Man, and an impoſſibility, that any but God ſhould ſave him; and one Perſon in the Trinity being to be Incarnate: It ſuiteth to reaſon, that the firſt Perſon in the p. 214Trinity ſhould not be the Mediator; For who ſhould ſend him? He is of none, and therefore could not be ſent. There muſt be one ſent to reconcile the Enmity, and another to give gifts to friends; two proceeding Perſons, the Son from the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt from the Father and the Son; accordingly, the ſecond Perſon, which is the Son, he is ſent upon the firſt errand, to reconcile man to God; and the third Perſon, the Holy Ghoſt, he is ſent to give gifts to men, ſo reconciled. So as to Reaſon, it is a ſuitable, and a very great congruity; That God having made all things by his Word, ſhould now repair all things by his Word. That as the word of the ſerpent deceived man, and brought him to ruine; ſo the Word of God ſhould reſtore him, and bring him to happineſſe. That he that was the middle perſon in the Trinity, ſhould become the Mediator between God, and man; That he that was the expreſſe Image of the Father's perſon, ſhould reſtore the Image of God, defaced in man by his ſins. Men may be too curious in ſuch Quaeries, but where there is a bottom in the love of God, we may ſafely loſe our ſelves in the admiration of the wiſdome of God, in the Contrivance of the work of our Redemption. That for the firſt.

Secondly, From what hath been ſaid of the word, fleſh, 2. Here is both matter of Comfort, and matter of Duty.here, as importing the human nature, and the human nature cloathed with infirmities, we may gather both matter of Comfort, and matter of Duty.

Firſt, Matter of Comfort from each of the two branches; from fleſh, as it importeth man-hood; from fleſh, as it importeth infirmity of man-hood. The Son of God hath taken our nature upon him, that may Comfort men; It is matter of Rejoycing to any man, when he heareth his friend is preferred. What is ſo neer to us as our owne nature? Behold our nature is preferred by Jeſus Chriſt, to a union Our nature preferr'd by Chriſt, to union in the Godhead.in the Godhead. Chriſt ſitteth in Heaven with our nature, and the ſame fleſh that we have upon us, onelyonly glorified. It is that, which all the World cannot give a ſufficient reaſon of, why the ſame word in the Hebrew, Raſhar, ſhould ſignifie both fleſh, and good Tydings; Divinity will give you a reaſon, though Grammar cannot. Chriſt's taking of p. 215fleſh upon him, was good Tydings to all the whole World; therefore, no wonder if one word ſignifie both. Aboundance of comfort may be taken from hence to poor ſouls, when they think God hath forgotten them; To conſider, Is it likely, that Chriſt that is man, ſhould forget Man, now He is at the right hand of the Father, cloathed in that nature that we have. When we are troubled to think it is impoſſible, God and man ſhould ever be reconciled; Let us conſider, that God, and man, did meet in Chriſt, therefore it is poſſible, we may meet; What hath been, may be again. The two natures met in Chriſt, therefore God may be reconciled to man; yea, they therefore met, that God might be reconciled to man. He was made Emanuell God with us; that he might bring God, and us together. When a man is troubled to think of the Corruptions of his nature, that is ſo full of defilement, that it cannot be ſanctified; let him withall think, that his nature is capable of ſanctification to the full. Chriſt received human nature, which was not polluted, his nature is the ſame; Therefore, that nature is capable of ſanctification to the uttermoſt. Many more comforts may be raiſed from this Conſideration, That he aſſumed fleſh, with the ſorrows of it, and the nature of it; penall infirmities. The conſideration of that in generall, may give ſome comfort to men, becauſe it letteth us ſee, that Chriſt is able, and willing to help us, becauſe he hath taken our infirmities. Both theſe the Apoſtle holdeth out, Hebr. 2. ult. It is ſaid, In that he himſelf had ſuffered, being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted. He is therefore able, becauſe himſelfe hath been tempted. As a Phyſitian that trieth the vertue of ſome ſoveraign Compoſition upon his owne body, he is the better able to cure another, with that Receit, becauſe he himſelfe hath tried it. Chriſt hath born our infirmities, therefore he knoweth better how to ſupport us under them. I, but is he willing? yes, His willingneſſe may be collected from this, That he hath taken our infirmities, Hebr. 2. 17. He was made like unto his brethren in all things, that he might be a mercifull high Prieſt. Chriſt is therefore a mercifull high Prieſt, becauſe he was made like us in our infirmities. p. 216It is a great invitation to mercy, to ſee one in the ſame condition that we our ſelves have been in. As ſhe ſaid, Haud ignara mali, miſeris ſuccurrere diſco, ſhe Dido. Lib. 3. Aenaeid.had learned to pity others, becauſe ſhe had born the like miſeries her ſelfe. As a woman that hath had a Child, can more pity women that are in Travaile, becauſe ſhe hath ſuffered the like pains; than other women can, that never have brought forth any Children at all. So the Lord Jeſus hath felt the like infirmities, the penall, not the ſinfull; therefore he is likely to pitty us, when we lie under them, Exod. 23. 9. Thou ſhalt not oppreſſe a ſtranger, for ye know They that have ſuffered, can beſt pitty them that are under ſufferings.the heart of a ſtranger, ſeeing ye were ſtrangers in the land of Egypt. Chriſt knoweth the heart of a man, under his infirmities, when they are onelyonly painfull, and not ſinfull, becauſe he himſelfe did undergoe ſuch in the dayes of his fleſh. Therefore, this may comfort a man as in generall, ſo in diverſe particular Caſes; when we wreſtle with infirmities, ſuppoſe ſorrow of heart, it was Chriſt's owne caſe. Time was, when he cried out, Matth. 26. 38. My ſoul is exceeding ſorrowfull, even to death. The conſideration of his ſorrow, may help to ſweeten thine, when thou art afflicted in body, and pinched. It was Chriſt's caſe, He himſelfe hungred in the wilderneſſe, and was a thirſt at Jacob's well. He was buffetted, and ſcourged, yea, Crucified in the end, He felt the nails and ſpear. Therefore ſaith Luther, I am aſhamed, that men ſhould count my ſufferings any thing, when I think of what Chriſt indured; So, be our ſufferings never ſo great, we are thereby made conformable to him, who ſuffered the like things for us. And ſo for poverty, 2 Cor. 8. 9. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who, though he were rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich. The like may be ſaid in many other Inſtances: whatſoever infirmity it is, we may expect, Chriſt will relieve us againſt it.

But the ſoul ſaith, Still you except ſin, I would have that taken away. If Chriſt take not that away, I am undone. Object. This doth not ſo much lie in my Text now, yet I ſhall ſpeak a word to it.

p. 217I told you, Chriſt took our painfull infirmities, and not Anſw. our ſinfull. And yet I muſt tell you, he took our ſinfull infirmities As Chriſt took our painfull infirmities, by inherency, ſo our ſinfull infirmities by imputation.too, in another ſenſe; not in the ſame way, as he took the other. He took our painfull infirmities, in a way of Inherency; and our ſinfull ones too, in a way of Iniputation; Quicquid ſuſtulit, tollit, whatſoever Chriſt took away, he took. He took away our ſins, therefore he took our ſins, in one ſenſe, or other; He could not take our ſins, as our ſorrowes. It was impoſſible, that ſin ſhould be inherent in Chriſt; His Divinity was a protection againſt all ſins, yet He took them away by imputation. Therefore, It is ſaid by the Apoſtle, God hath made him to be ſin for us, who knew no ſin; He knew no ſin, and yet is made ſin. How? Not made ſin, by committing ſin, for Chriſt was not in a Capacity of ſinning; but made ſin, by bearing the Imputation of ſin; and ſo took upon him the guilt of ſin, and not the Inherency of ſin.

There be two things in guilt, a worthineſſe of being puniſhed, and a deſtination to puniſhment; The Demerit, and the Deſtination.

It is falſe to ſay, That Chriſt took the guilt upon him, in a way of Demerit; as if Chriſt himſelfe had been worthy of being puniſhed. For all Demerit implieth ſin, either naturall, or perſonall; Now in Chriſt, was neither originall Corruption, nor actuall Rebellion. But the other thing in guilt, which is, Poenae obligatio, an obligation, and deſtination to puniſhment. In this ſenſe, Chriſt took guilt, not becauſe of any naturall Demerit, but becauſe of his Communion in that nature, of which the Demerit was found; He voluntarily became our Surety, and took our Nature, that, in that nature, He might ſuffer for our ſins. And in this capacity, God doth deſtinate him to puniſhment; in this ſenſe, He took our ſinfull infirmities. And thus ye ſee, what matter of comfort this truth affordeth.

It affordeth us likewiſe matter of duty. Leſſons of piety, and Leſſons of thankfullneſſe.

Firſt, Leſſons of piety: Oh, If Chriſt the ſecond Perſon 1 Leſſons of piety.in the Triuity, did put on man, how carefull ſhould men be to put on Chriſt? Put ye on the Lord Jeſus, ſaith the Apoſtle, p. 218not making proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfill the luſts thereof, Rom. 13. 14. If Chriſt aſſumed our human nature, how ſhould we wreſtle with God, to be made partakers of the Divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and pretious Promiſes, that by theſe you might be partakers of the Divine nature, having eſcaped the corruptions that are in the World through luſts. If Chriſt became thus one fleſh with us, how zealous ſhould we be to become one ſpirit with Chriſt? 1 Cor. 6. 17. Even as man, and wife, is one fleſh; ſo he that is joyned to the Lord, is one ſpirit; So ſhe is married to Chriſt, and God looketh upon ſuch a ſoul, as his owne daughter, now it is married to his Son; therefore dealeth with it, as Caleb did to Achſah. He giveth her not onelyonly the upper Land, and nether ſprings, not onelyonly outward bleſſings, and accommodations, but comforts, and refreſhments with them; not onelyonly the nether ſprings of Ordinances, but the upper ſprings of Comforts, and Refreſhments in, and by, thoſe Ordinances.

Secondly, Here are Leſſons of thankfullneſſe too. Was the Word made fleſh? Did Chriſt take our nature? yea, 2 Leſſons of thankfullneſs.did he take our nature at the worſt, after the Fall? What exceeding great cauſe have we to bleſſe his Name for ever; for this Condeſcenſion of his? Should all the Princes in the World, have come from their ſeverall Thrones, and have gone a begging from door to door, it was not ſo much, as for Chriſt to become man for our ſakes. And he took our nature not in the integrity of it, as in Adam before his fall, but in the infirmities of it, which came to it by the fall; As, for a man that can live of himſelfe, to wear a Noble man's Livery, while this Noble man is in great favour in the Court, and hath the King's eare, this is no ſuch great matter: But when this Noble man is proclaimed a Traitor, and is caſt out of his Prince's favour, then for this man to wear his Cloath, and owne him, this is ſomething hard. This is the Caſe, for Chriſt to have taken our nature as it was in Adam, while he ſtood cloathed in his Integrity, and flood right in the ſight of God; had not been ſo much, as when Adam was fallen, and proclaimed Traitor. As Bernard p. 219ſaith, Quò pro me vilior, eò mihi charior, Domine, Lord, thou ſhalt be ſo much the more dear to me, by how much the more thou haſt been vile for me. Here is Condeſcenſion indeed, that Chriſt ſhould ſtoop ſo low to take fleſh, and fleſh wlth infirmities. You know what King Ahaſuerus did, when he met with the paſſage in the Chronicles, which laid open, what good ſervice Mordecay had done for him; ſaith he, What hath been done for this man? and when he ſaw nothing was done, he thinks preſently of advancing him, Heſt. 6. 3. Let us call to our ſelves, and ſay, What hath been done for this Jeſus, that hath done ſo much for my ſoul? If nothing at all; It is time to fall upon this duty, and to think of ſome way to Teſtifie our thankfullneſſe to Chriſt. How ſhall we do it? Chriſt is above, we are not able to reach Him. True, but He hath members here on Earth, though He be in Heaven; He will take it as done to himſelfe, if ye do it to one of them. Would you be thankfull to Chriſt, be kind to his people. Kings, when they go their progreſſe, and come to this, and that Town, and are preſented with ſome ſumme of Money, or piece of Plate; the Preſent they receive, to give the people content, but they give away the thing to ſome of their Favourites. So it is with Chriſt, He giveth away the things ye tender him, he taketh it well; but he is content, that his Children ſhould have what you give. He himſelfe ſtandeth in no need of what we can do; but if we do it to his people, he will accept it, as if it was done to himſelfe, Matth. 25. 40. Therefore David maketh a full Confeſſion of this, Pſal. 16. 2, 3. Thou art my Lord, ſaith he, my goodneſſe extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints on the Earth, and to the Excellent, in whom is all my delight. You ſee what uſe may be made now, of what was ſaid of the Divine nature of Chriſt, as he is called the Word; what of his human nature, as he is ſaid, to be made fleſh; and what followeth, and what hath been ſaid of the perſonall union of theſe two natures.

Ye may from hence, take a view of one of the deepeſt The greateſt myſtery in the World, is the Word made fleſh.Myſteries in all the World; for it is one of the deepeſt in all Religions, and the Chriſtian Religion containeth ſuch p. 220myſteries …s the world cannot ſhew beſides; all the depths of the world are but ſhallow to the things of God. Here is one of the deepeſt things of God, The Word being made fleſh. There are three great Unions, that are three great Myſteries, the deepeſt of any that are.

The Subſtantiall union.

The Perſonall union.

The Myſticall union.

And this is one of them.

Firſt, The Subſtantiall union of three Perſons in one 1. The Subſtantiall union.Nature, and one Subſtance: So, Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, make but One God.

Secondly, There is the Perſonall union, of two Natures 2. The Perſonall union.in one Perſon: So, God and Man make but one Chriſt.

Thirdly, There is the Union of Severall, both Perſons, 3. The Myſticall union.and Natures, in one Myſticall body; and ſo, Elect Angels, and Men, and Chriſt together, make but one Body, whereof Chriſt is the Head.

Here are the three great Myſteries of Religion. That I ſpeak of, is the ſecond of theſe, The Perſonall union.

In the firſt of theſe, Divines uſe to obſerve, that there is alius and alius, but not aliud and aliud; another Perſon, but not another Thing. The Father is, Alius a Filio, a diſtinct Perſon from the Son; and the Son is, Alius à ſancto Spiritu, a diſtinct Perſon from the holy Ghoſt; but not a diſtinct Thing. The Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt make but one Eſſence, there is not aliud to be found in them.

In the Second is aliud, but not alius; a diſtinct Thing, but not diſtinct Perſons: The Human Nature is a diſtinct thing from the Godhead, and the Godhead a diſtinct thing from the Manhood, but not a diſtinct perſon from the Manhood; for God and Man make but one Perſon.

In the Third, the Myſticall union, there is both aliud and alius, but not alienus: There is diſtinct Things, and diſtinct Perſons; the Angelicall Nature and Human Nature; the perſons of Believers, and the Perſon of Chriſt: but there is not alienus amongſt them. One of theſe are united to another in near relation; they are not aliud, one from another. Though there be different things, and different perſons, there p. 221is a union between them. That is one thing that ye may learn from hence.

Secondly, Ye may learn from hence a ground of that communication of Properties, which is a very myſterious thing in Religion; that which they call, Communicatio Idiomatum, a thing not ſo eaſily underſtood. But by reaſon of this perſonall union of the two Natures in Chriſt, there is a communication of Properties; that is, That which belongeth to the Manhood, may be aſcribed and given to Chriſt, though denominated from the Godhead; and that that belongeth to the Godhead, may be denominated to Chriſt, becauſe it belongeth to the Manhood. A man may truly ſay, The Son of How the Son of Mary made the world, and how the Son of God ſhed his bloodMary made the world. Here Chriſt is denominated from his human Nature; but it is Chriſt as God that made the world, not Chriſt as the Son of Mary; for he was not the Son of Mary till many thouſand years after the world was made. On the other ſide, you may ſay, The Son of God was crucified, and ſhed his blood upon t… Croſſe. Here ye aſcribe that to Chriſt, under the denomination of the Son of God, which belongeth to him as Man; to ſhed his blood, as God, he hath none to ſhed. But yet, this may properly be ſaid, becauſe the Perſon is both God and Man. It is not without precedent in Scripture, Joh. 3. 13. No man hath aſcended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. Chriſt here, when he converſed upon earth, he ſaid, The Son of man was in heaven; Why? Becauſe that Perſon was in heaven according to his Godhead; and yet the Son of man denominated from the Godhead, is ſaid to be in heaven, whereas nothing more certain, that Chriſt-Man was upon earth, and yet in heaven, as God. And ſo on the other ſide, Act. 20. 28. Take heed to the flock, over which the holy Ghoſt hath made you overſeers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchaſed with his own blood. God hath no blood, yet God is ſaid to purchaſe the Church with his blood; becauſe that Perſon which was God, had blood to ſhed, according to his human Nature; though it was ſanguis humanus, yet it was ſanguis Dei. It was human blood, yet the blood of that Perſon, which p. 222was God as well as Man. Now the ground of all this, is that perſonall union, The Word being made fleſh. Divines have laboured much to make this clear, therefore have invented divers Compariſons; I ſhall tell you of one or two of them. They ſuppoſe a flaming fiery Sword; here is a union of the metal and of the fire, that are met together in this ſword; and therefore there may be a communication of the properties. This fiery thing may be ſaid to cut, and this ſharp thing may be ſaid to burn, becauſe they are ſo united in one ſword. Or thus, They ſuppoſe a man under two capacities, one and the ſame man that hath skill in two Sciences; ſuppoſe he is both a good Phyſitian, and a good Lawyer. Now one may, in propriety of ſpeech, ſay, This Phyſitian is a Lawyer, and this Lawyer is a Phyſitian, becauſe both meet in one man. A man may ſay, This Phyſitian is a diligent follower of his Clyent's buſineſſe, and this Lawyer is very good at curing his Patients. Or thus, A branch of a Vine is graffed into the ſtock of an Olive-tree, and that ſo, as it takes of each tree: both the Vine-branch and the Olive bear according to their ſeverall natures, yet are in the union both of one tree; but both Grapes and Olives grow upon it. One may ſay, This Vine beareth good Olives, and this Olive-tree beareth good Grapes, becauſe united in one tree. So it is in reſpect of the Manhood united to the Godhead. This Son of Mary made the world, and this Son of God ſhed his blood upon the Croſſe. But, no more of this, The Word was made fleſh.

—and dwelt amongſt us, and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.

I now go on to what remaineth, And dwelt amongſt us, foreign. The word ſignifieth properly, Dwelling as in a Tabernacle; foreign ſignifieth a Tent, foreign ſignifieth, to dwell in a Tent or Tabernacle. Then this Clauſe, Dwelt amongſt us, is capable of a three-fold ſenſe, though, as I ſuppoſe, but one is here intended.

p. 223There is

a Myſticall ſenſe,

of theſe words.

a Spirituall ſenſe,

a Civill ſenſe,

Firſt, A Myſticall ſenſe, and, according to that, this 1. The Divinity of Chriſt dwelt in the human Naturephraſe, Dwelt amongſt us, is an amplification of the former, The Word was made fleſh; and implyeth this, That the Divinity of Chriſt dwelleth in the human Nature as in a Tabernacle, foreign, in us; the plurall number noteth the human Nature, and implieth (as diverſe go this way, eſpecially the Greek Fathers, and the Arabick and Syriack, all give this ſenſe of this place, to intimate) That the habitation or dwelling that Chriſt aſſumed to himſelf, was not the Perſon of man, but the Nature of man; and therefore dwelt in us. There is a place of Scripture that ſeemeth to favour this ſenſe, Col. 2. 9. where ye find it thus ſaid, In him dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the Godhead bodily. As if ſo be he ſhould have ſaid, The Godhead dwelt in the body of Chriſt as in a tabernacle, or tent, which it had erected for its own habitation. Dwelt, and dwelt bodily.

Secondly, There is a Spirituall ſenſe of this Clauſe; and 2. Chriſt dwelleth in us by his Spirit.according to that, the meaning is this. Dwelt in us, namely, by his Spirit, by influence from heaven; and this way Cajetan goeth, Leſt men ſhould ſuſpect, ſaith he, becauſe of what was ſaid before, The Word was made fleſh, that now we are to have none but fleſhly communion with the Son of God: Though It was made fleſh, yet he dwelt, foreign, in us, by his Spirit, and converſed with us in that reſpect; and this is implyed in the Praepoſition foreign. We ſay not, inter nos; but, in nobis. If he had meant it of Chriſt's dwelling in the world, he would have ſaid, Inter nos; but he ſaith, In nobis: that implyeth a communication of himſelf to our inward man, according to that ſenſe which other Scriptures hold forth, That Chriſt-Man dwelleth in our hearts by faith, Epheſ. 3. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people.

Thirdly, There is a third ſenſe of theſe words, that is, a 3. By his converſing amongſt us.Civill ſenſe. Dwelt amongſt us, that is, Converſed amongſt p. 224us, as one man converſeth with another. He took upon him the form of a ſervant, and was in the likeneſſe of man, and carried himſelf for about 33 years upon earth as a man. This is his dwelling amongſt us, and that is the moſt proper ſenſe in this place; though there be a truth in all the former, yet neither of them is here intended; not the Firſt, which I call the Myſticall ſenſe, becauſe the human Nature of Chriſt was not aſſumed like as a Tabernacle or Tent, which is pitched for a while, and then removed; but as a Manſion. The Divinity took up his habitation forever in the human Nature. Chriſt now continueth, and ſhall for ever, as true Man, as he was when he was born of the Virgin Mary. In that place, Col. 2. 9. the Apoſtle uſeth another word, where he ſaith, that all the fulneſſe of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily; the word is not, foreign, as in a Tabernacle; but, foreign, as in a Manſion and abiding place. He ſo took the human Nature, as never to lay it down again. Therefore not as in a Tabernacle. As for the Spirituall ſenſe, that cannot well be the meaning here: Though it be true, that Chriſt dwelleth in the hearts of his Saints, and converſeth with their ſpirits; yet, the Evangeliſt ſpeaketh of ſome kind of habitation amongſt men; but this kind of habitation, dwelling in our hearts, was that which was uſually in the Word from the beginning of the world; ſo he dwelt amongſt the Jewes, for they were his beloved people long before he was Incarnate. Beſides, this was ceaſed when the Evangeliſt wrote. The Word was made fleſh, and dwelt amongſt us, foreign, habitavit, in the Praeterperfect Tenſe. If ye take it of Chriſt's converſing amongſt men upon the face of the earth, he did dwell amongſt them ſo; but he did not dwell amongſt them at this time, that was paſt; but his dwelling in his Spirit amongſt us, that is not paſt: Joh. 6. 56. He that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. It remaineth therefore, that the ſenſe of this place is plainly thus (not to ſeek into abſtruſe ſenſes) The Word was made fleſh, and dwelt amongſt us; that is, Converſed amongſt men as a man. And therefore that of Cajetan hath no validity in it; for [foreign] doth ſometimes ſignifie on, as well as in: Act. 18. 11. He continued there a year and p. 225ſix months, teaching the Word of God amongſt them; foreign, and ſo our Tranſlators, well, have it here. Dwelt, not in, but amongſt us; Well then, The word made fleſh, pitched his Tent upon earth, and dwelt amongſt men. If ye will have it in a way of Obſervation, that muſt be ſo. Ye have the Emphaſis of the originall words.

For the explication of this, Three ſorts of men were wont to dwell in Tents. And the alluſion here may be to all three.

Shepherds.

Sojourners.

Souldiers.

Shepherds, Firſt: Iſaiah 38. 12. Mine age is departed, 1and is removed from me as a ſhepherd's Tent.

Sojourners, Secondly: as the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, they dwelt in Tents, and, in memory of that, they after 2kept the feaſt of Tabernacles, Pſal. 120. 5. Wee is me, that I ſojourn in Meſheck, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar.

Souldiers, Thirdly: And David ſaid to him, Go home unto thine owne houſe. But Vriah ſaid to David, Is the arke 3of Iſrael, and Judah abiding in Tents? And my Lord abiding in the open field? And ſhall I go home to my houſe?

Now Chriſt was all theſe three, a Shepherd, a Sojourner, and a Souldier, and therefore is ſaid, to dwell, in theſe three reſpects, as in a Tabernacle.

Firſt, As the great and good Shepherd, for both theſe 1. Chriſt the good Shepherd.terms are given to him, Joh 10. 11. I am the good ſhepherd, ſaith he, the good ſhepherd giveth his Life for his ſheep. That is a good ſhepherd indeed! Other ſhepherds they provide food for their ſheep, but they cannot give them a fleece; Chriſt provideth both food, and fleece for his ſheep. And whereas other ſhepherds ſell their ſheep to the ſlaughter, that they themſelves may be maintained by them; here is a ſhepherd ſlaughtered for his ſheep, I am the good ſhepherd, the good ſhepherd giveth his Life for the ſheep. Some other good ſhepherds may venture their life for their ſheep; As David run a hazard, to venture his Life to reſcue the ſheep from the Lion. But Chriſt did more than p. 226run a hazard, for He gave his Life.

Then Chriſt dwelt in Tents as a Sojourner. Ye have a 2. Chriſt a Sojourner.diſtinction of Viatores, and Comp chenſo es, amongſt Divines; They ſay, that all the people of God in their Pilgrimage towards Heaven, are Viatores, and the Saints above in the ſtate of Glory, are Comprehenſores, in that they are at home; now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt he is both. There is that difference between a Saint in Heaven, and a Saint on this ſide Heaven. Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh, was at once a Traveller, and a Comprehenſor. For he alwayes had the fruition of God, in that reſpect he was a Comprehenſor; and yet in the 33 years of his abode in the fleſh, he was a Viator, and a Traveller in the way; therefore he is ſaid, to have drunk of the brook in the way. He ſpeaks of a ſojourner, as one going to, and fro, Joh. 16. 8. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the World; and again I leave the World, and go to the Father. Here is his Jiſtes, as it were ſeverall journies, that Chriſt took in the dayes of his Pilgrimage, as a Sojourner.

Thirdly, He pitcht his Tents here amongſt men, as a 3. Chriſt a Souldier.Souldier, for indeed ſo he is. Ever ſince the fall, the World hath been divided into two parts, all ſhall be united then, but now the Devill goeth away with the greateſt part, as the Prince of this World, and the Lord Jeſus appeared on the other ſide, as the Captain of our ſalvation. Ye have him under that notion, Hebr. 2. 10. It became him, from whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many ſons unto glory, to make the Captain of their ſalvation perfect through ſufferings. Accordingly he appeared to Joſuah, Joſ. 5. 13. with a ſword in his hand, as the Captain of the Lord's hoſts. Therefore it is, that when a man is excommunicated, the Apoſtle's phraſe is, That he may be delivered up to Satan; becauſe he is now caſt our of the viſible Church, and ſo deduced again unto Satan's government. In all theſe reſpects, ye ſee, both as a Shepherd, a Sojourner, and a Souldier; Chriſt is properly ſaid to pitch his Tents amongſt us, which is the importance of the Greek word in the Text.

I ſhall not paſſe this over without ſome Application, Vſe 1 p. 227The conſideration of Chriſt's dwelling amongſt us, may be of uſe, to let us ſee, the Faithfullneſſe of God for our Incouragement, and the Condeſcention of Chriſt for our Imitation.

Firſt, The faithfullneſſe of God, for our incouragement: 1. Gods faithfulneſs for our incouragement.Be pleaſed to look into Exodus, and Leviticus, you ſhall find an old promiſe, that God would come and dwell amongſt his people. It is ſaid in Exodus 12. 43. I will dwell amongſt the Children of Iſrael, and will be their God. It is ſaid, Leviticus 26. 12. I will walk amongſt you, and will be your God, and ye ſhall be my people. Now this promiſe, is of the nature of diverſe, in the Scripture, that have their graduall accompliſhments, and are fulfilled, by piece-meal, by degrees; I will dwell amongſt you, ſaith God, He promiſed then, when the people of Iſrael were in the wilderneſſe. The firſt fulfilling of this promiſe was, when the Tabernacle was made in the wilderneſſe, that was a Teſtimony of the preſence of God. A further fulfilling of this promiſe was, when Solomon built the Temple, 2 Chron. 6. 2. I have built an houſe, and habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. But when Chriſt came in the fleſh, here was a farther fulfilling of that promiſe; Then came He, of whoſe Body the Tabernacle, and Temple, were but types. Deſtroy this Temple, ſaith he, and I will build it up in three daies, ſpeaking of his body; now here is the promiſe fulfilled in a remarkable way: and yet there is to be a farther fulfilling of the ſame promiſe ſtill. That ye may ſee, that God maketh good the ſame promiſe many times, diverſe times over, Revel. 21. 3. Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they ſhall be his people, and God himſelfe ſhall be with them, and be their God. There is a farther ſtate of happineſſe yet to come, wherein this promiſe is to be made good, That God will dwell amongſt men.

Secondly, ſee the Condeſcenſion of Jeſus Chriſt, 2. Chriſt's Condeſcenſion to dwell amongſt men.though, He was the delight of his Father from all Eternity, Prov. 8. Yet to ſhew his delight to the ſons of men, he will come and dwell amongſt them, Prov. 8. 31. I was by him, as one brought up with him, I was daily his delight, p. 228rejoycing alwaies before him, rejoycing in the habitable parts of the world, and my delights were with the ſons of men. To manifeſt this, before he did actually come in the fleſh, he was often pleaſed to take a body for a time, and to lay it down again; to appear in human ſhape, praeludere Incarnationi, as they uſe to call it; He acted the Prologue of his Incarnation, before he came really. He appeared to Abraham, and to Joſhua. But after he did aſſume a reall body into perſonall union with himſelf, which he did never till now, he took it of the Virgin Mary. Here is infinite condeſcention, that he who lay in the Father's boſome, ſhould not abhor the Virgin's womb. If it were ſuch a commendation of Moſes his faith, Heb. 11. though he were in great pomp at the Court; yet, by faith he choſe rather to ſuffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon. Though he were a favourite at Court, yet he would joyn himſelf with a ſort of poor Brick-makers. Then, what a condeſcention is it of the love of God, that he would ſend his Son to dwell amongſt us, poor duſt and aſhes!

Then, from Chriſt's dwelling amongſt us as in a tabernacle, 1. As our Shepheard, he protects us in our fallen condition.as it referreth to his condition as a Shepheard. Something we may learn from hence; Whom to have recourſe to, and to be protected by, in our fallen and relapſed condition: We were all as ſheep going aſtray, 1 Pet. 1. ult. but are now returned to the Shepheard of our ſouls. Poor ſheep, going aſtray, and muſt for ever go aſtray, they cannot know the way to return home. But now, Lo, Chriſt commeth, dwelleth, and pitcheth his tents amongſt us, that under him we may have protection. I ſhall want nothing, ſaith David, for the Lord is my ſhepheard, Pſal. 23. ult. Seeing Chriſt came to pitch his tents, we ſhould hear his voice; My ſheep hear my voice. Now Chriſt is in heaven, no voice is to be heard but by the Miniſtry: therefore all thoſe Exhortations which the Miniſter giveth to the people, they all come from this great Shepheard, and are accordingly to be heeded. Eccleſ. 12. 11. The words of the wiſe are as goads, and as nails faſtned by the maſters of aſſemblies, which are given by one ſhepheard. Thoſe Officers which Chriſt hath faſtned p. 229in the Church, they are as nailes faſtned to the Aſſemblies. Therefore ſuch as liſten to the voice of inferiour ſhepheard, according to the Word, when this great Shepheard ſhall come, they ſhall receive a Crown of life.

Secondly, Chriſt pitched his tents amongſt us as a Sojourner. 2. Chriſt, as a Sojourner, teacheth us, to reckon our ſelves ſtrangers in the world.This ſhould teach us to be conformed to Chriſt, even in this particular. He did but pitch a tent, he did not take up his aboad upon the face of the earth. We muſt carry our ſelves as ſtrangers and pilgrims in the world, and not look at our ſelves as at home here. Ye know what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, I am a ſtranger, Pſal. 39. 12. Hear my prayers, O Lord, and give ear to my cry, hold not thy peace at my tears; for I am a ſtranger with thee, and a ſojourner as all my fathers were. Ye know what is ſaid of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and thoſe Patriarks of old; they dwelt in tents, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 11. 8, 9. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place, which he ſhould after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he ſojourned in the land of promiſe as in a ſtrange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Iſaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the ſame promiſe. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God. And ſo, verſ. 16. Now they deſired a better country, that is, an heavenly.

Beloved, not to dwell hear, Look about you, and ye will find nothing but Tabernacles; no Manſions, till ye come to heaven. While we live, What are our bodies, but as ſo many tabernacles to our ſouls? It is a Scripture-expreſſion, 2 Pet. 1. 13, 14. I think it meet; as long as I am in this tabernacle, to ſtir you up, knowing that ſhortly I muſt put off this tabernacle. While we live, our bodies are but tabernacles to our ſouls; and when we are dead, the graves are but tabernaeles to our bodies. Pſal. 16. 9. Therefore did my heart rejoyce, and my tongue was glad; moreover my body ſhall reſt in hope. Becauſe neither muſt our ſouls remain long in our bodies, nor our bodies in the grave. If we will have Manſions, we muſt look to Heaven, In my Father's houſe are many manſions. Therefore dream not of manſions here below.

p. 230Thirdly, Chriſt pitched his tent amongſt us, as the Captain 3. Chriſt, as a Souldier, learneth us to be encouragedof our ſalvation. Let this encourage us; we have one that's able to encounter with Satan, if he bring all his forces into the field together. Let him be a roaringlion, here is a ruling Lion, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, that can encounter him; that putteth upon us the whole armour of God. They ſay, that a very Army of Harts and Hares, led by a Lion, their Commander, are able to do great matters, becauſe the Leader putteth courage into them by his valour. Let Chriſt put courage into us. As that great Commander ſaid, when the Scouts came and told him, that ſo many thouſands were comming againſt him, more than they were: Why, ſaith he, How many thouſands do you reckon me for? intimating; that he was worth many thouſands of his enemies. So, For how many thouſands do you reckon Chriſt, when you go out againſt the World, and the Fleſh, and the Devill? I paſſe to the next.

And we beheld his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Son of God.

Here is the ſpeciall manifeſtation of Chriſt's glory. The Diſciples beheld the glory of Chriſt, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Son of the Father. Let us take the words as they lie. Here the Spectators were the Diſciples of Chriſt, they were the men that beheld; and, in that reſpect, they were the bleſſed men, more bleſſed then the Fathers before them: Matth. 3. 16, 17. Bleſſed are your eyes for they ſee; and your ears, for they hear. For, verily I ſay unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have deſired to ſee thoſe things which ye ſee, and have not ſeen them; and to hear thoſe things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

We beheld, there is the View.

The word is emphaticall, foreign, we beheld, as in a theater, as men behold things preſented to them on a Stage; they behold them with a great deal of earneſtneſſe and delight: That the word implieth.

Ye have heard what the Object is, the glory of Chriſt, We beheld his glory, which is the ſhining forth of excellency; ſuch appeared in Chriſt.

p. 231The ſpecification of that Object, What kind of glory? Why, the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father. Ye read in Scripture of ſeverall ſorts of glory.

There is the glory of the Celeſtiall bodies, the Sun, 1. Glory of Celeſtiall bodies.Moon, and Stars, of which it is ſaid, 1 Cor. 15. 41. There is one glory of the Sun, another glory of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; for one Star differeth from another in glory.

We read of the glory of Man, 1 Pet. 1. 24. All fleſh is 2. Glory of Man.graſſe, and all the glory of man as the flower of the graſſe. The glory of Man, becauſe as the Stars, and Sun, and Moon, excell inferiour bodies, ſo they excell the Beaſts; there is a ſhining forth in him, beyond what is in the creatures that have no reaſon.

We read likewiſe of the glory of the Angels, who are 3. Glory of Angeis.therefore called the Cherubims of glory, Heb. 9. 5. And over it the Cherubims of glory, ſhadowing the Mercy-ſeat, of which we cannot now ſpeak particularly.

But, there is beyond all theſe (for all theſe are but created 4. The Glory of God.Glories) there is the glory of God, of which he himſelf ſaith, He will not give it to any other. This is the Glory of which we read in the Text, He will not give it to another, Iſa. 42. 4. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another. I, but Chriſt was himſelf of the ſame Nature with himſelf; therefore the glory they ſaw in Chriſt was the glory as of the onelyonly-begotten of the Father. Some difference is in theſe words.

Firſt, In that Chriſt is ſaid to be the onelyonly begotten. Do Object. 1ſt. we not read in the thirteenth Verſe of this Chapter, of other children of God, which were born, not of blood, nor of fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God? How then is Chriſt the onelyonly begotten, ſeeing God hath other children, and other begotten children too? That will not ſerve the turn, to ſay, We are adopted Chriſts, as his begotten. Saith James, Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we ſhould be a kind of firſt-fruits of his creatures. If God hath begotten us, how then is Chriſt the onelyonly begotten of the Father?

I anſwer, Out of this place of St. James, Of his own will Anſw. 1ſt. p. 232begat he us. There lyeth the differences, Chriſt is the begotten of the Nature of the Father, we are begotten of the Will of the Father, Of his own will begar he us. Chriſt is a Son of eternall generation, we are ſons by adoption: He begotten of his Nature, and we begotten of his Will. And ſo in that ſenſe Chriſt is the onelyonly begotten, becauſe the onelyonly Naturall Son of God.

Still here is a farther difference, We beheld his glory, as Object. 2d. the glory of the onelyonly begotten of the Father. In this Particle, foreign, that which is but as another thing, is not the ſame thing, ſimile non eſt idem. Why now we hold out, and that according to truth, that the glory of Chriſt was the very ſelf-ſame glory which God the Father had; the ſelf-ſame glory which is due to God, is due to the Son of God. Therefore it is here ſaid, It was the glory as of the onelyonly begotten.

For that you muſt know, that the Hebrew Caph, and the Anſw. 2d. Greek foreign, is two-fold; there is a two-fold [As] in Scripture, one of Similitude, the other of Identity. There is [as] Similitudinis, & Veritatis, an [as] of compariſon. As for example, If one ſhall ſee a Noble-man richly attired, and bravely attended, to go through the ſtreeets, and ſay, Such a Noble-man goeth, foreign, as a King; here is an [as] of ſimilitude. If the King himſelf ſhould be going to Parliament, in great ſtate, we may truly ſay of him, he goeth in ſtate, foreign, as a King. Here is an [as] of Verity and Identity. The former was but an [as] of ſimilitude. Aand there are many places of Scripture, where [as] doth not note a likeneſſe, but the ſelf-ſameneſſe, (as I may ſo ſpeak) an Identity. It is ſaid of John the Baptiſt, that all the people looked at him, foreign, as a Prophet: Matth. 14. 5. When **Herod.he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, becauſe they counted him, foreign, as a prophet. Do you think the multitude looked at John, as if he had been ſomething like a prophet? No, they took him for a Prophet indeed; yea, it is expreſſed, they counted him for a prophet. Phil. 2. 8. the Apoſtle ſpeaking of Chriſt, being found in faſhion of a man, he humbled himſelf. What, was not Chriſt really Man? Yes. But he being found, foreign, in faſhion as a man. Here [as] is an [as] of Identity, p. 233not an [as] of ſimilitude, As a man, that is really ſo. As a man, that is the onelyonly begotten Son of God, that is, really the onelyonly begotten Son of God. Ye have the words expounded.

Now for the proof of this, The Diſciples beheld the glory of Chriſt, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Son of God; you ſhall have their owne Teſtimony, 1 Joh. 1. 1, 2. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have ſeen with our eyes, which we have look't upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of Life; for the life was manifeſted, and we have ſeen, and bear witneſſe, and ſhewed unto you, that Eternall Life, which was with the Father, and was manifeſted to us. Other men To ſee Chriſt, and to ſee into Chriſt, is not the ſame thing.they ſaw Chriſt, as well as the Diſciples did; but not ſo much into Chriſt, as the Diſciples did; As the Temple of Solomon was all beautifull without, of coſtly work, fair, and comely ſtones, but within, it was all over-laid with Gold. The Paſſengers that went by, they could ſee the out ſide of the Temple, and could not but acknowledge a beautifull frame; but the Prieſts, that ſerved within, they ſaw it all over-laid with Gold, and ſo ſaw a farther beauty. All the Jewes, amongſt whom Chriſt converſed, might behold his out ſide, but the Diſciples had a farther in ſight into Chriſt. We beheld him, that is, we beheld him, as the word of Life, and ſaw his glory, that is, as of the onelyonly begotten Son of God; Whereas others ſaw his glory, that is, as of a Man, that did many glorious things; but theſe ſaw the glory of God, through the Manhood.

For the farther manifeſtation of this, I ſhall ſhew you in what things, and at what time, the Diſciples beheld the glory of Chriſt, and then proceed to Application.

Firſt, In what things.1. The things wherein Chriſt's glory appeareth. 1. The glory of Chriſt ſeen in his Oracles.

In his Oracles.

In his Miracles.

Firſt, In his Oracles, namely his diſcourſes, and Sermons, and Heavenly ſayings, that proceeded out of his mouth. They came from him with ſuch a glory, as amazed the hearers; and made them acknowledge, that he ſpake with authority, Matth. 7. 28, 29. It came to paſſe, when Jeſus had p. 234enae theſe ſayings, the people were aſton ſhed at his Doctrine; For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes. Here was a dazelling glory ſhined out from the words of Chriſt, in ſo much, as they could ſcarce apprehend him; they had not power to lay hold on him, but returned, and ſaid, Never man ſpake like this Man. What was flatteringly ſaid of Herod, is true of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in regard of his Miniſtry; The voice of God, and not of man, not of meer man, but of him, that was both God and Man. So this glory the Apoſtles ſaw in his Oracles, for they converſed with him.

Secondly, In his Miracles: Divine glory ſhined in them. 2. In his Miracles.As it is ſaid of the firſt Miracle he did, Joh. 2. 11. This beginning of miracles did Jeſus in Canaan of Galilee, and manifeſted forth his glory, and his Diſciples believed on him. And ſo, when he had raiſed Lazarus from the dead, it is ſaid, Joh. 11. 4. This ſickneſſe is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby; The Lord Jeſus Chriſt intended his owne glory in raiſing of Lazarus (And ſo by all his other Miracles.) This was a Divine glory: Becauſe, never any raiſed the dead, as he did. Other inſtances ye have of others, raiſing ſome dead ones, as Eliſha the Shunamites ſon, 2 King. 4. …3, 34. and Paul, Eutychus, Acts 20. 10. But here is the difference, Chriſt raiſed them by his owne power, they by the power of Chriſt. So, The glory, as the onelyonly begotten of God, appeared onelyonly in his Miracles, and not in theirs Luk. 14. 7. It is ſaid of Chriſt, He touched the bier, and they ſtood ſtill, And Chriſt ſaid, I ſay to thee, Ariſe. Here Chriſt ſpeaks to men, I ſay to thee: whereas, what the Apoſtles did, they acknowledged it done, not by their owne power, but by Chriſt, Acts 3. 12, 13. And when Peter ſaw it, he anſwered unto the people, Ye men of Iſrael, why marvail ye at this? or why look ye ſo earneſtly on us, as though by our own power, and holineſſe, we had made this man to walk; The God of Abraham, and of Iſaack, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jeſus, whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the preſence of Pilate: His Name, through faith in his p. 235Name, hath made this man whole. So as it was the Glory of Jeſus, that appeared even in the Miracles of the Diſciples; Theſe are the things wherein he did eſpecially appear.

For the times: they are theſe two,2. The times, when.

The time of his Transfiguration.

The time of his Aſcenſion.

Firſt, The Diſciples beheld his glory, as the glory of 1. At his Transfiguration.the onelyonly begotten of the Father, at his Transfiguration; of which ye read, Matth. 17. When his Face ſhined, and his Raiment glittered, having Moſes, and Elias, James, Peter, and John there; who were the ſpectators of all. This, Moſes had begged long before, and ſaid, Lord ſhew me thy Exod. 33. 13.Exod 33:13glory; Some piece of an anſwer God gave him, when he paſſed before him, and ſhewed ſome piece of his glory. But here God ſheweth his glory upon mount Tabor, when Chriſt was Transfigured; We beheld his glory, namely, at the Transfiguration. John was one there, and Peter was another, as well as John. And he ſpeaks dearly of it, 2 Pet. 1. 17. For he telleth you of the voice that came from the excellent glory; ſaying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed, hear him. Referring to that time, and that place, the time of our Saviours Transfiguration upon that Mount, Mark 9. 2, 3, 4, 5. verſ. And after ſix daies, Jeſus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain, apart by themſelves, and he was transfigured before them; and his raiment became ſhining exceeding white as ſnow, ſo as no fuller on earth can whiten them. And there appeared unto them Elias, with Moſes, and they were talking with Jeſus.

The ſecond time, wherein they beheld this glory of Chriſt; was the time of his Aſcenſion, which the Diſciples 2. At his Aſcenſion.were ſpectators of, Acts 2. 9. And when he had ſpoken theſe things, while they beheld him; He was taken up, and a Cloud received him out of their ſight. This cloud was Veh culum Regale, a Royall Chariot, wherein Chriſt rode up to glory; And glory was not onelyonly the terme, to which he went, but he went in a glorious way. As you may underſtand that in Timothy, Great is the myſtery of p. 236godlineſſe. God manifeſted in the fleſh, ſeen of angels, believed of in the world, received up into glory, foreign. You ſee by this time the truth of the Propoſition. Let us ſee what uſe we can make of it, and then proceed.

Firſt, take notice of one great end of Chriſt's Incarnation, Uſe 1 which was, That his glory might be ſeen: He was made Chriſt was incarnated, to ſhew his Glory.fleſh, and dwelt amongſt us, and we beheld his glory. Till then, the glory of Chriſt was inviſible; but now, by taking fleſh, he expoſed himſelf and his glory to view: God manifeſted in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Indeed, the fleſh of Chriſt was a vail to him, but a mirror and glaſſe to us. To him a Vail, to obſerve the glory which he had from all Eternity with God the Father, as the Son of God; but to us a Mirrour, in which we beheld this glory of God, which was never till now expoſed to view, or not ſo fully. As God is inviſible, ſo his glory is too dazling for our weak eyes. But we that cannot behold the Sun in its ſphear, may behold the Sun in a baſon of water. We that cannot behold the glory of God, as in it ſelf, may behold it in Chriſt, in the veil of his fleſh. Therefore he was manifeſted, that he might be ſeen.

Secondly, Be exhorted from hence, to take a view of 2. Let us take a view of his glory, as the Diſciples did.the glory of Chriſt, as the Diſciples did: We cannot in the ſame manner, yet we have one way wherein we may do it: For Chriſt expoſeth himſelf and his glory to believers in the glaſſe of the Goſpell; 2 Cor. 3. ult. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even a… by the Spirit of the Lord. To that end, he hath appointed the Miniſtry of the Word, and furniſhed his Miniſters with gifts. 2 Cor. 4. 6. God who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, hath ſhined in our hears, that we ſhould give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore in your attendance upon the Miniſtry of the Goſpell, let it be your aim, ſtill to ſee ſomething of Chriſt's glory in it: And do as the Diſciples did, We beheld his glory as in a Theater. Let it be our care to view Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt, as they are repreſented to us in a Theater. Ye know how greedy men are of ſuch objects, they cannot ſatisfie their eyes with ſeeing Pageants, p. 237and ſuch kind of ſhowes; beſides, things upon a Stage are ſeen with a great deal of delight: Inſomuch as Auguſtine, when he would expheſſe the joyes of Chriſtians, in the midſt of their greateſt ſorrow, hath this excellent expreſſion of it, Orantium d…lciores ſunt lachrimae, quàm omnium gaudia Theatrorum, ſaith he, The tears of praying Chriſtians have morè ſweetneſſe in them, than all the joyes of the Theaters, or of the Stages. Certainly, there never came ſuch a ſpectacle, never ſuch a thing to be viewed, as the glory of Chriſt is, never any thing ſo well worth the viewing. Let it therefore be our care to do as the Apoſtle exhorts us, to be looking up to Jeſus. That is very emphaticall, Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto Jeſus, the author and finiſher of our faith; who for the joy that was ſet before him, endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, and is ſet down at the right hand of God. The word is, foreign, which hath a double force in it, foreign, and foreign; looking off, firſt; and then, looking upon. We muſt look off from the world, which our hearts are too much glued to, and then look up to Jeſus; otherwiſe, if we buſie our minds too much with carnall things, our hearts will be ſo full of the reliſh of them, as we cannot ſavour of the things of God. Certainly, brethren, we have preſidents for this; take Paul, a man that buſied himſelf in this great work, of beholding the glory of Chriſt, throughout his whole courſe, after his converſion; therefore he deſired no other learnlng but Chriſt crucified, 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing amongſt you, ſave Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified. He valued no other wealth, The knowledge of Chriſt to be preferred before all things.but the knowledge of Chriſt, Phil. 3. 8. I count all things but loſſe and droſſe, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt my Lord; for whom I have ſuffered the loſſe of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Chriſt. Where was his learning, and wealth, and joy, and great delight? It was in the beholding of Chriſt; he gloried in nothing elſe, Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I ſhould glory, ſave in the croſſe of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Beloved, the Croſſe of Chriſt ſhall be our Crown, if we love to make the glory of Chriſt our ſtudy.

Thirdly, take this third uſe into your meditations, of p. 2383. Meditation on Chriſt's excellency, raiſeth our apprehenſions above all created glories.the excellency of Chriſt, raiſing your apprehenſions above all created glories; for his glory is the glory as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father. Ye wrong Chriſt, if your apprehenſions of him be not higher, than thoſe you have of any creature. His hath a glory far above theirs, above the glory of the Celeſtiall bodies, and the glory of Men, above the Angels and Cherubims. Therefore the Apoſtle taketh a great deal of pains, to prefer Chriſt above the Angels, that our thoughts may go beyond in the excellency of Chriſt above any other creatures. Whence it is, that Joh. 5. 23. all men ſhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath ſent him. So I have done with that Clauſe.

4. The fourth thing in my Text remaineth, that is, The ſingular Qualifications of Chriſt's Perſon,

Full of Grace and Truth.

Chriſt was full of grace and truth, That is our Obſervation. All ſorts of grace in ChriſtIt pleaſed the Father, ſaith the Apoſtle, Col. 1. 19. that in him ſhould all fulneſſe dwell; all fulneſſe, of all ſorts of grace, whether ye look to the kinds, or degrees of grace, the fulneſſe of both ſorts. There were all kinds of grace in Chriſt. Thoſe graces which were ſcattered amongſt the Saints, one excelling in this grace, another in that; Moſes in meekneſſe, Job in patience, David in thankfulneſſe, and Joſeph in chaſtity, and ſo in the reſt; they are all united in Chriſt. So for the meaſure and degrees of grace, as he hath of all kinds, ſo the utmoſt degree of every kind. To Miniſters, graces are given in a ſcant proportion, and meaſured out, according as God hath allotted to every one his proportion, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Epheſ. 4. 7. Unto every one of us is grace given, according to the meaſure of the gift of Chriſt. But to Chriſt himſelf, it is above meaſure, Joh. 3. 34. God gave not the Spirit by meaſure to him; he doth not ſtand meting it out, but poureth it out upon him. So that look whatſoever grace a human nature, void of ſin, is capable of, that was all poured out upon Chriſt: Full of grace. It pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſſe p. 239dwell, foreign; that it ſhould be the manſion-houſe of all fulneſſe, ſo as there ſhall be no defect. Adam was full of grace in his condition, but fell from it; and the Angels full, but many of them turned Apoſtates: but Chriſt hath no defect in his Nature, it is a fulneſſe, and a dwelling fulneſſe. But this is too generall. Full, Of what? Full of grace, and full of truth.

Firſt, Of grace. Grace, is a word of various acceptation, 1. Chriſt is ful of grace.and admitteth of many diſtinctions: I ſhall onelyonly meddle with ſuch, as are applicable to this place. Grace is twofold, it is taken either Active or Paſſive.

There is Active-grace, Gratia gratis dans, Givinggrace. Paſſive-grace, Gratia gratis data, Grace given.

Active grace is that good-will, out of which God beſtoweth his benefits upon the gratious.

Paſſive grace, grace given, is that which is beſtowed, either upon the body, or upon the ſoul, or upon the whole perſon.

Firſt, A grace beſtowed upon the bodies of men, and r. Grace beſtowed upon the bodies of men.that is Beauty, which properly cometh under the notion of grace, in that ſenſe; Favour is deceitfull, and beauty is vain, Prov. 31. 30. Gratia fallax eſt, ſaith the Latine tranſlation, grace is deceitfull; taking grace for beauty. So the Heathens, they called thoſe goddeſſes of theirs, Charites, the Graces. That is grace upon the body, but that is the loweſt.

Secondly, There is grace beſtowed upon the Soul; and 2. Upon rhe Soul.thoſe are rather Gifts, tending to Edification, as gifts of Prophecy, and the like; or to Salvation, as Faith, and Love, and Zeal. The former are called, foreign; the latter, Charites: the former, gifts; the latter, graces, in a ſtrict ſenſe

Thirdly, There is grace beſtowed upon the whole Perſon, that is, Acceptation. Ye may call the firſt, Gracefulneſſe 3. Upon the whole Perſon.in the body; the ſecond, Grace in the ſoul; and the third, Gracefulneſſe in the perſon. As when we ſay, Such a one is gratious at the Court, when he partaketh of the grace and favour of the King.

Now Chriſt was full of grace in all theſe ſenſes.

p. 240Firſt, If ye ſpeak of active grace, giving grace; there 1. A fulneſs of active grace in Chriſt.was a fulneſſe of that in Chriſt, a fulneſſe of good-will, out of which flowed ſo many accommodations to the ſons of men, both for ſoul and body. Therefore at his birth, the Angels ſung, Good-will towards men. Whether ye look to his words, or to his deeds, ye ſhall find him full of grace, in this ſenſe. If to his words, ye know what the Evangeliſt ſaith, Luk. 4. 42. They all bare witneſſe, and wondred at the gratious words which proceeded out of his mouth. Gratious words. It is prophecied of him, and accordingly he made it good, that he ſhould not cry, nor his voice be heard in the ſtreets. His cry ſhould not be like that of Jonah in Niniveh, Jon. 3. 4.Jonah 3:4a voice of deſtruction, or of terrour; but if he did cry, it ſhould be of mercy. If any man thirſt, let him come and Iſa. 55. 1.Isa 55:1drink. If his voice be heard, it is a voice of grace, inviting ſinners to come to him, Ye that be heavy laden, &c. Grace Matth. 11. 24.Matt 11:24in all his words.

And ſo grace in all his Actions, He went about, as the Scripture telleth us, Act. 10. doing good. And ſo ye know the Evangelicall Hiſtory. I do not think, ye can give me an inſtance of any man, that Chriſt ſent away, in the daies of his fleſh, that came to him for mercy, without mercy, He healed them all▪ Luk. 9. 11. And the people, when they knew it, followed him; and he received them, and ſpake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing. So, here is active grace in Chriſt.

Secondly, If ye look to Paſſive grace, to grace given; 2. Fulneſſe of Paſſive grace in Chriſt, upon his Body, firſt.there was grace given that fell upon his body, which, certainly, was of excellent frame, full of beauty. Therefore it is ſaid, Thou art fairer than the ſons of men, grace is poured upon thy lips, Pſal. 45. 2. This is not ſpoken of the Divinity of Chriſt, for, in that reſpect, he was fairer than the Angels; but of his Humanity, and ſo he was fairer than the children of men. There was indeed a time, wherein no beauty was to be ſeen in him; but he ſpeaketh of him then as upon the Croſſe, when the ploughers made long furrowes upon his back, and digged deep holes in his ſides, as he was beſmeared with blood; ſo no beauty in him.And, ſecondly, upon his Soul.

Secondly, Paſſive grace upon his ſoul, grace given to p. 241that. Whatſoever Indowment was requiſite to fit him for a Mediator, that he had; ſome underſtand by Grace, all the perfections of the Will; and by Truth, all the perfections of the Underſtanding. Surely nothing was wanting, either in will, or underſtanding… or affection…, that might render the ſoul of Chriſt fully gratious. It is prophecied in Iſaiah 11. 2. The ſpirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him. He ſpake before of a rod of Jeſſe, and a branch growing out of his root; So now, What grace was upon his ſoul? Why, The ſpirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him, and the ſpirit of Wiſdome, and Underſtanding, and of Counſell, and Might, and of Knowledge, and of the Fear of the Lord.

Thirdly, Grace given, ſuch as filleth up the whole perſon, 3. Grace given, filleth up the whole perſon.grace of Acceptation. In that ſenſe it is ſaid, Luk. 2. 40. ſpeaking of Chriſt, The Child grew, and waxed ſtrong in ſpirit, filled with wiſdome, and the grace of God was upon him; that is, the favour of God. So he interpreteth it in the laſt verſe of that Chapter; Jeſus increaſed in wiſdom, and ſtature, and favour with God, and men. We needs muſt grant it to be ſo, becauſe, Quod efficit tale, magis eſt tale, That which maketh another ſo, is much more ſo, it ſelfe. Chriſt is he, that procureth acceptation both of our perſons, and our ſervices; and therefore, he himſelfe is much more acceptable with God. Our perſons have no acceptation, but through him. We are ſaid, to be accepted through the beloved, Epheſ. 1. 6. Our ſervices have no acceptation but through him. In that place of Peter, we are a ſpirituall prieſt-hood, 1 Pet. 2. 5, 6. Offer up ſpirituall ſacrifices, acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt; So as He himſelfe is much more accepted. Thus you ſee, how he is, full of grace.

Let us ſee now, how Chriſt is likewiſe, full of Truth. Chriſt in the truth, and the truth in Him.The truth is ſaid to be in Jeſus, and Jeſus is ſaid to be in the truth. Truth is ſaid to be in him, Epheſ. 4. 21. If ſo be ye have heard him, and been taught by him, as the truth is in Jeſus. He is ſaid to be The truth, John▪ 14. 6. I am the way, the Truth, and the Life.

More diſtinctly, Take truth in what notion you will, it p. 242will appear Chriſt was, full of truth. Truth is ſometimes oppoſed to Hypocriſie, ſometimes to Error, ſometimes to Lying, ſometimes to Shadowes. Chriſt was full of truth, in all theſe ſenſes.

Firſt, If ye take Truth, as oppoſed to Hypocriſie, and as 1. Chriſt is full of Truth, as oppoſed to Hypocriſie.equipollent with ſincerity, not with the levened bread of malice, but with the unlevened bread of ſincerity and truth, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 5. So Chriſt was full of Truth, ſincere in all. When he lifted up his eyes, he lifted up his heart to God. When he bowed his knee, he bowed his ſoul. When he opened his mouth, he opened his heart to his hearers. Therefore he is ſaid to be girt about the loins with faithfulneſſe, and truth; Righteouſneſſe, and truth, ſhall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulneſſe, the girdle of his reins. As the girdle girts a man in; ſo ſincerity, and truth, girt in all the actions, and ſpeeches of Jeſus Chriſt.

Secondly, If ye take Truth, as it ſtandeth in oppoſition 2. As oppoſed to Error.to Error; thus Chriſt was, full of truth, becauſe all Treaſures, both of wiſdome, and knowledge, being hid in him, it was impoſſible, for him to have any miſapprehenſion; He conceived rightly of all things, and ſpake truly of all, even his enemies being witneſſes. Hear what they ſay, Matth. 20. 16. They ſent out to him their Diſciples, with the H…rodians, ſaying, Maſter, we know thou art true, and teacheſt the way of God in Truth.

Thirdly, Take Truth, as it ſtandeth in oppoſition to Lying. 3. As oppoſed to Lying.Lie not one to another, ſaith Paul, to the Epheſians; but ſpeak the truth, every man to his neighbour. So Chriſt was, full of truth. The Apoſtle Peter telleth you, That he was a Lamb, without ſpot, or blemiſh, he did no ſin, 1 Pet. 2. 22. He did no ſin, neither was guile found in his mouth: It might be ſought for, but was not found. The word importeth, it was not found in his mouth: for many lay at catch for Chriſt, if they could have trap't him in his ſpeeches; There was a great deal of watching, but no guile found in his Lips. He did neither Me…tiri, nor, Mendacium dicere, at any time, which can hardly be ſaid of any; And yet one thing Jabrinus ſaith, A good man will be ſure not to lie, that is, to ſpeak againſt his knowledge, and Conſcience. p. 243A prudent man will be carefull not to tell a lie, nor yet to ſpeak, what is untrue; One that will not lie, may yet poſſibly ſpeak an untruth, but Chriſt did never ſo much, as ſpeak an untruth. He was ſo far from Lying.

Fourthly, If ye take Truth, as it ſtandeth in oppoſition 4. As oppoſed to Shadowes.to Shadowes, Hebr. 9. 24. Chriſt is not entred into the Holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true, &c. Here is true, oppoſed to figure, to ſhadow. In this ſenſe, Chriſt is, full of Truth; becauſe he is the ſubſtance of all thoſe ſhadowes, which were under the old Law: which ſome take to be the ſenſe of what followeth, Joh. 1. 17. The Law came by Moſes, but faith, and truth, by Jeſus Chriſt. Truth is here oppoſed to the Ceremoniall Law, which containeth the ſhadow, as grace to the Morall; Let us learn ſomething throughout every branch of this Explication.

Firſt, Seeing Chriſt is full of grace, in an active ſenſe, Vſe 1 that is, full of giving grace; full of good will to the ſons To learn, to have good thoughts of Chriſt.of men: Let us all learn to have good thoughts of Chriſt, not to look at him in Satan's ſpectacles, through the glaſſe of unbelief, and melancholly-apprehenſions; as one that is inacceſſible, one that will not pardon, nor entertain poor ſinners: So the Devill ſometimes preſenteth him, in ſuch a falſe glaſſe. But look at him in the glaſſe of the Goſpell, that holdeth him forth, full of grace. The Holy Ghoſt, that proceedeth from the Father and the Son, telleth you what he is; He came down in the ſhape of a Lamb, to ſhew the meekneſſe of Chriſt. The Diſciples they ſaw him, as full of grace. The friends of Lazarus ſaw him, weep over Lazarus. They ſaid, Behold how he loved him; the ſame bowels Chriſt hath now in Heaven, as he had upon the Earth. And if it were poſſible, that they were capable of inlargement, there are none more large; now all the proviſion is laid in, and the meat bought, and the Table ſpread, and diſhes provided. What doth God expect, but that the people ſhould fall to, and eate? How can we doubt of his good will now, that hath done, and ſuffered, and prepared ſo much for us? It is not now to do, it is done already; therefore we may be ſurer of his good-will, than they, before the price was paid.

p. 244Secondly, Seeing Chriſt is full of grace, even in regard 2. To look at Beauty as a bleſſing.of his body Look at Beauty as a bleſſing. This kind of grace is one of the things that adorned Chriſt. I ſay, look at beauty as a bleſſing, when it falleth upon a body, joyned to ſuch a ſoul as Chriſt's was; otherwiſe, it is to the ſoul as a ruſty ſword in a velver ſcabbard. The beauty of a prophane perſon is but like the ſhining of a rotten ſtick, like the gayneſſe of thoſe weeds in your corn-fields, that make a fair ſhew, yet, if you touch them, they are offenſive, not to be endured. There can no expreſſion equall the foulneſſe of them in Scripture; it is as Solomon ſaid, Prov. 11. 22. as a jewel of gold in a ſwine's ſnout, ſo is a fair woman without diſcretion. But now, where there is a meeting of the inward graces of the ſoul, and this outward gracefulneſſe in the body, there beauty is an ornament. Pulchior eſt virtus veniens è corp… re pulcro. Where beauty and godlineſſe be, there grace is more beautifull, in ſuch a body, in ſuch a perſon. And the beauty is more gracefull, where there is grace to ſet it out, where the inſide is adorned as well as the outſide. It is an high commendation that the Scripture giveth of Abigail, and ſheweth what beauty is moſt deſirable; a ſweet conjunction was found in her, A beautifull woman, of a good underſtanding, 1 Sam. 25. 3. The name of his wife was Abigail, and ſhe was a woman of a good underſtanding, and of a beautifull countenance. Such as God hath beſtowed beauty upon, ſhould be carefull not to blemiſh it, by any untoward converſation; but to be looking to God both inſide and outſide. When ye have good apparell on, ye are loath to ſtain that; When God hath apparelled your beauty with beauty, take heed of ſtaining that by any uncleanneſſe whatſoever.

And, in the next place, in that Chriſt was full of grace 3. To learn to have recourſe to Chriſt, when we ſtand in need of grace.in regard of the ſoul; We ſhould learn from hence, whom to have recourſe to, when we ſtand in need of grace, even to this full Fountain; for he received it, that he might communicate it. He was filled with an over-flowing fulneſſe, that of his fulneſſe we might receive grace for grace, Joh. 1. 17. Chriſt is full of grace, as a woman's breaſt is full of milk, that even aketh for want of being drawn. Chriſt, as he is full, ſo he delighteth to communicate of his fulneſſe; therefore p. 245it is an eaſe to him to be drawn. Of this, we ſhall ſpeak, God-willing, in its place.

Fourthly, Chriſt is full of grace, of grace that fell upon 4. To learn, whence all our acceptation cometh.his whole Perſon; that is, Full of acceptation with God, a gratious receiving into favour with God the Father. And this letteth us ſee, whence we are to fetch all our acceptation. How it commeth to paſſe, that the Saints come to be ſo gratious with God? Why, in and through Chriſt, who is full of grace and acceptance; They are accepted (as ye heard before) in the beloved. Chriſt is ſo gratious, as to ingratiate all that believe in him. He is God's Favourite, and bringeth into favour all ſuch as are allotted to him. None of us can poſſibly get the bleſſing, but in our Elder Brother's garment; Gen. 27. 16.Gen 27:16Jacob took that courſe, ſo muſt we, if we will have a bleſſing from God. As Joſeph told the Patriarks, They ſhould Gen. 43. 3.Gen 43:3not ſee his face, except they brought their younger brother Benjamin along with them; ſo there is no ſeeing of the face of God, unleſſe we bring Chriſt along with us in the arms of our faith. There is a ſtory, Act. 12. of the men of Tyre, when Herod was diſpleaſed with them, how they made uſe of Blaſtus the King's Chamberlain; verſ. 20. And Herod was in diſpleaſure with them of Tyre and S…don; but they came with one accord to him: and having made Blaſtus the King's Chamberlain their friend, deſired peace, becauſe their country was nouriſhed by the King's country. This is our caſe. God is highly diſpleaſed with us for our ſins, as Herod was with the men of Tyre and Sidon; we have our dependency upon God, as they had upon Herod's country, Their country was nouriſhed by the King's country. We are undone, if God relieve us not. Now they are undone; the beſt way is, to make Blaſtus their friend, that ſo Herod being appeaſed, they may have peace. We are to go to God by Chriſt Jeſus, that we may have acceptation with God. He is full of grace, and they ſhall partake of his grace and favour; even as Joſeph, when he was got in with Pharaoh, he made way for all his brethren: the Text ſaith, Gen. 47. 2. He took ſome of his brethren, and preſented them to Pharaoh. Juſt ſo doth Chriſt take us, and preſents us to God. The Apoſtle Peter hath a phraſe ſomewhat like p. 246it, where he ſaith, 2 Pet. 3. 18. Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſin, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us to God, foreign, that he might take us by the hand, and lead us to God. Now theſe men being preſented by Joſeph to Pharaoh, ſee how Pharaoh entertaineth them, See, the land is before thee; in the beſt of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell. If Chriſt hath once brought us to God, not onelyonly all the good things of the world, but all the promiſes of the Word, are before a Saint, when he is brought to God by grace, and ſo ingratiated with him.

Fifthly, Seeing Chriſt is full of truth, as it ſtandeth in 5. Learn to be like Chriſt.oppoſition to hypocriſie, learn we to be like him; it is good being of Chriſt's faſhion. The girdle of his loins is Truth, as ye heard before out of verſe 11. Let it be the girdle of ours, Having your loins girt about with truth. Be ſincere in all we ſpeak and do; otherwiſe, all our performances, be they never ſo glorious, they are but like a fair pair of gilded Organs, that want wind or bellowes to blow them; ſo are all our performances, if there be no ſincerity to enliven them. All outward ſervices, they are but the carcaſes of Devotion, if there want ſincerity. Epheſ. 4. 24. It is called, The new man, created in righteouſneſſe, and in the holineſs of the truth, foreign, ſo it is in the Originall; it is, a holineſſe of truth. Otherwiſe, no holineſſe at all, if truth be not there.

Again, If Chriſt be thus full of truth, as it ſtandeth in 2. To go to him for direction in matters of Opinion.oppoſition to errour; then we may ſee from hence, whom to go to for guidance in all matters of opinion; to Him that is full of truth, that cannot erre. Doceat me Deus qui me fecit, & non qui ſeipſum ignorat. Let him teach me that made me; let not him teach me that knoweth not himſelf. Every man is a lover of his own opinion, and apt to miſcary; but it is Chriſt that is ful of truth, who hath promiſed to guide us by his ſpirit, and to lead us into all truth, Joh. 16. 13.

Again, If Chriſt be full of truth, as it ſtandeth in oppoſition 3. Matter of comfort to the people of God,to lying: Let us learn from hence to gather matter of comfort to all the people of God. He that is full of truth, and cannot lie, hath ſaid to every poor ſoul, Come to me ye that are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. If any man p. 247come to me, I will in no wiſe caſt him off. So is it matter of and of terrour to the ungodly.terrour to all ungodly impenitent ſinners. He that believeth not, is damned already. He that believeth, ſhall be ſaved; he that believeth not is damned, the wrath of God abideth upon him. And ſo matter of Imitation for all. If our Saviour, whom we profeſſe our ſelves to depend upon, and to Matter of Imitation for all.be Diſciples of, be full of truth, let us be like him. Therein ſtandeth the true Religion, in imitating him whom we worſhip, ſaith Lactantius. If people be given to lying, they are more like the devill than Chriſt: For it is ſaid of ſuch, Ye are of your father the devill. He is a liar, and the father of it. Mark, he ſpeaks of his own when he ſpeaks a lie. Now there will be a time, when every ſoul ſhall be ranſackt. Take heed, leſt the devill find ſomething of his own, reigning in you. It is ſaid, he came to Chriſt, The Prince of this world commeth, Joh. 14. 13. and hath nothing in me; that is, nothing of his own in me. He came and ſearched Chriſt, but found nothing of his there. Take heed, leſt when he comes to you, he find a lying ſpirit there, that is his own. As, when Laban came to ſearch Jacob's tent, to try if he could find any of his own goods there; if he had, it would have gone ill with Jacob: As, when ſearchers come to a ſhip, and find any prohibited goods there, the owner forfeits all the lading. If the devill come, and find any thing of his own, he takes that ſoul to hell. Without are dogs, and every one that loves and makes a lie, Rev. 22. 15.

Laſtly, Seeing Chriſt is full of truth, as it ſtands in oppoſition to ſhadowes: Let us learn to embrace him, that ſo we may find the ſubſtance. That is the phraſe of the holy Ghoſt, Prov. 8. 21. where Wiſdom ſpeaks thus, That I may cauſe thoſe that love me to inherit ſubſtance, and I will fill them with treaſures. Chriſt is not onelyonly the ſubſtance of all Leviticall ſhadowes, (they are vaniſhed, we have now nothing to do with them); but there is another ſort of ſhadowes that men doat upon, more than the Jewes upon their ceremoniall carnall things, delights of the world, riches, pleaſures, and profits; there are ſome men that buſie themſelves in theſe. What ſaith the holy Ghoſt of them? Pſal. 83. 17. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to p. 248ſhame and periſh. All are but ſhadowes, in compariſon, no reality. Oh then, he is a ſubſtantiall man that inherits, he that leaveth to follow after ſhadowes to inherit Chriſt; otherwiſe, all men that buſie themſelves in things below, and neglect Chriſt, they are but like a man that goes into an Orchard, and, inſtead of pulling the fruit, he catcheth at the ſhadow of the fruit, that are ſcattered in the hedge; he hurts himſelf, and getteth not the fruit. Would ye have Chriſt, ye muſt go to God for him; the reality of all is founded in him. What are the things men doat upon? but either honours, or riches, or pleaſures, the worlds Trinity, as ſome call thoſe three: We ſhall find them all in Chriſt, Prov. 3. 16, 17. where Wiſdom ſpeaks thus (that Wiſdom is Chriſt) In her right hand are riches and honour. Her waies are waies of pleaſantneſſe. Here is all three, riches, honour, and pleaſure; and all found in Wiſdom, which is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.