Christ Under the Law, Text (1 of 3)

Christ Under the Law · Text (1 of 3)

p. 1THat God Loved Adam ſo, that he could not leave him for Ever, I believe: in part:

From that he ſaith: of the Oſtrich, and her cruell folly to her Eggs: and of the Bears, Dragons, Ouls, and worſt of Creatures, to their young Ones: and of a Woman, to the Son of her womb. And yet, ſhe may forget; but I cannot: For, I have Graven thee, on the Palmes of my hands. And was not Adam, Graven on his heart? Or Rooted in it?

But yet more, from That he Is. For, God is Love: and Vnchangable Love. And having Loved himſelf, and his own Image; he Loved it to the End: and for Ever. And if That Love, could not hold him to Adam, in Innocence; It may be hard to know, or believe, his Word can bind him ſo, to any Creature; but he may deſert it, in the beſt eſtate, attainable. Seeing it is very hard, to Vnderſtand his Word, or any Verbal Promiſe: or to plead it ſo, with him, as to oblige him by it: If his own heart, do not more, hold him to Good, and Goodneſs, Then All Outward Words, and Promiſes: Or at leaſt, then Any Creature, can do by Them.

And although Eternal Love, might be Eternal Hatred, unto Sin [which, in the mother Language, ſpeaketh Hating: As their Hate, is alſo Sin:] Yet, That alſo, might be, a Better argument, why God ſhould Keep him From Sin; then why, he ſhould Leave him In it. For, by this, it ſeemeth, God is Love: and no Hatred: only that he Hateth Hating, and Putting away.

Love Thinketh no Evil: is not Eaſily Provoked: Suffereth Long: Endureth All, Believeth All, or Hopeth All: Beareth All: and doth not only, Cover a Multitude of Sins, but as Solomon ſaith, It ſhall, or will, Cover All Tranſgreſſions. For, it is the Glory of Man to Paſs by Tranſgreſſions: And the Glory of God, to Cover a Matter. And moſt of all, That which his pure, and Holy Eyes cannot endure to ſee.

And if nothing could preſerve him, From Sin, Or excuſe him In it: Yet there might be ſomewhat found, to Intercede, for the Sinner: or to diſtinguiſh, between his Sin, and his Perſon. Who at beſt, was but, As a Little, Very Little Infant, VntoUnto God. And when a Sinner, yet His Off-ſpring: and His Image ſtill: & ſo remained, As a man. And So Owned by God, to Noah. Yea, and our Saviour bids them All ſay, Our Father. For, we Are, His Off-ſpring, ſtill: and he is the Father of our Spirits. Yea, and Man, that before the Fall, was but the Image of God; is now [called] The Image and Glory of God.

I muſt not diſpute, or enquire, How Man came to Fall: or God, to Change his State, or Place, before the Fall. Or to abridge him, of ſomewhat, he ſeemed, to Grant before: When he gave him, All Trees, for, his food: But then came, and forbad the Tree of Knowledge. Which yet, haply, may be meant, of ſome other kind of Knowledge; then is commonly taken.

Nor can I determine, What God meant by That, In Dying thou ſhalt Dye. Seeing, even Since the Fall alſo, Job deſcribeth Death, as That, which might be Loved, More then Life. And the Wiſeſt man aſſerts, the Day of Death, is Better, then of Birth: and God might ſet the Cherubins in Love to keep us from That Tree, which would have made us Live for Ever: notwithſtanding All, the Threatening of Death. Which it ſeemeth, was not ſo certain, but that a Taſt of the Tree of Life, might have Turned it, into Life Eternal. But Eternity it ſelf, may be a Burthen, to One, that is Vnhappy, In his Life, and p. 2Being. So, that it might be, an Happineſs, to Dye.

And the words, Threatning Death to Adam, are no worſe, then God uſed to David, of his Little Child: or Other Children of God: which ſure, was not Eternal Death. And to Good Hezekiah; It was added alſo, Thou ſhalt Dye, and ſhalt not Live: and yet he did not Dye, but Live.

And to Ezekiel, God hath ſaid, When I ſay, or ſhall ſay, to a Wicked Man, In Dying thou ſhalt Dye (the very words Threatened to Adam:) yet, if he Turn, and Repent: he ſhall ſurely Live: he ſhall not Dye.

And ſure, we may hope, God meant no worſe, to Good and Holy Adam, in Innocence, then he Profeſſeth that he meaneth, To a Wicked Man, in Wickedneſs. To whom yet, the Threatning is but on Condition; and he addeth an Oath, That he taketh no Pleaſure in the Death, of a Wicked Man: and leſs, in the Death of a Righteous man: As Adam was, in Innocence.

And yet, he let him Fall. To draw out Attributes, which could not well appear, on Holy, Happy Objects. Or, in a word, to Love him More. Or draw, delight, and ſelf complacence (which may ſeem a kind of ſelfiſh Love) to Better, Higher: that is Lower; yet more Noble, Love; of Pity; and ſuch Tender bowels of compaſſion, as could not be ſhewed, But to Miſerable Objects. Shut up under Guilt, through Ʋnbelief: that ſo he might have Mercy on them: which can appear, Only in Miſery.

By which, Eternal Wiſdom, did Contrive, at once to Propagate it ſelf; and Magnifie its Love. So that it now can Truly Love a Loveleſs Object, with the ſame, or a Better Love then he Loved Adam, in Innocence: That I ſay not, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf: Who ſaith, a Little Love can love a Friend or One alike; and it may be Leſs to Love One Lovely, Fair and Kind. For, Sinners can do This: and Hypocrites.

Nor did he, Only defer his Anger, For his own Names Sake: But that, Himſelf might be, the Great Example, and Pattern, of All Long-ſuffering and Goodneſs, (which he knew, Great enough, to Conquer All Evil:) He would not Let the Sun go down upon his Wrath. But on the very ſame Day, in which Adam Fell, Ʋnder the Law: God brought out, the Goſpel: and the Firſt Goſpel Promiſe. whence ſome think, the Same Day, of the Jewiſh year, was both, the Great Faſt, for the Fall; and the Feaſt of Atonement, or Expiation.

For (as the Wiſe woman of Tekoah, ſummed up the Goſpel) God is no Accepter of Perſons: But he Still Deviſeth Means, or Devices, that his Baniſhed (or thoſe, that might be ſo) do not Periſh From him; who ſtill Hateth Putting away.

And he Then, Deviſed, ſuch a Way, as Far ſurpaſſeth all our thoughts: and Then our Words, are like to Darken Counſel, without Knowledge. Yet, there is a Spirit, that can make us know, the things, which are Freely Given us of God.

The Poets have a Tradition, that when the Gyants Roſe, and Fought, againſt Heaven; They could not be Conquered, but by the help, of ſome Mortal Man: and ſo, the Gods, asked avd of Hercules. Who ſlew one of the Greateſt Gyants; but he ſoon revived again; and waxed Stronger then before: Till Minerva Caught him, and threw him out of the Moon; and ſo he dyed.

This (and that they have, of Hydra; and of Python; and the Serpent, ſlain by Cadmus, or others) may be p. 3grounded on the Firſt Goſpel Promiſe, VponUpon the fall. The Seed of the Woman ſhall Break the Serpents Head. And yet, not by its own Strength, or Wiſdom; but aſſiſted by the Spirit of God: and in Vnion, with Divine Nature.

And yet ſtill, it is, The Seed of the Woman. God having choſen, the Weakeſt Sex, to overcome his Strongeſt Enemies: and the moſt Fooliſh, to deſtroy the Wiſdome of the Wiſe, and Subtili Serpent. Who did Firſt, aſſail the Woman (as the Weaker Veſſel:) and is Vanquiſhed, by the Womans Seed.

And though, in All this work, we owe, very much, to the Love of the Son of God (who Loved Our Nature, and built us a Synagogue: & was the Bleſſed Seed of the Woman.) Yet, the Root of the Matter, is the Love of the Father. And of His Perſon, it is ſaid in ſpecial, God is Love. Even God the Father: and hath ſhewed That Love, in ſending his Son: and the Sons Great Work, is ſtill to expreſs the Love of the Father, who ſent him. And God ſo Loved the World, that He Gave His Only Son: and none can come To the Son, but whom the Father Draweth.

And although, All the Saints, in All the Bible, uſe to addreſs themſelves, very much, to the Son, in their Vſual Convers and Prayers (As the 45th. and 102d. Pſal. is Cited in Heb. 1. and ſo the Canticles, and Spouſe in the Revelation: and All the Vials of Odors, or Praiers of Saints, were To the Lamb:) yet in This, the Apoſtle doth eſpecially, bow To the Father; that He would Vouchſafe, to ſhew them the Love of his Son: Paſſing Knowledge: That they might be filled, with All the Fulneſſe of God.

And although, it be a Great Work of the Goſpel, to perſwade us that Chriſt was the Son of God: (and a Great Man Thought All our Shakings came, From not being Rooted in This) yet, there is alſo a very Great ſtreſs in This, That he is, The Son of Man: and The Promiſed Seed of the Woman.

And the ſame Ap. that of All things, bids his Son, Remember This, that Chriſt of the Seed of David, was raiſed up, according to his Goſpel: In another place, hath ſummed up All, in This.

When the fulneſs, of the Time, was come, God ſent Forth His Son, made of a Woman, made Ʋnder the Law: that We might receive the Adoption of Sons. And ſo the Son of God is ſent, To make the Sons of Men become the Sons of God. But for this alſo, it Became him, and was requiſite and Neceſſary, that he ſhould be alſo the Son of Man: and Seed of the Woman. Made of a Woman.

Which was the Beſt, and only Way, To Bring in, Everlaſting Righteouſneſs: To Satisfie God; and to Sanctifie Man.

For, by This Vnion, of Natures (and All things conſequent) He comes, to be Charged, with Our Sins: and we, with His Righteouſneſs: being made, Partakers of His Divine Nature: as He, of Our Humane. And Then, As Our Acts, are Imputed unto Him: So are His, to VsUs: having the ſame Spirit, by which, He did them. Elſe, they be not Ours.

For, if God had come, and Acted in us, as an Angel, or a Dove: Thoſe Acts, In us, had not been Ours: Except, their Principle, were made One, with VsUs; and We, One with Him.

For which, God hath ſo Vnited himſelf unto Chriſt; that He is become the Head of the Body. And His Vnion, to our Natures, is the Root of Ours, unto His Spirit. And Till This, be wrought In us; we do not Act, but are Acted; by Some Other: Not, by an Inward Principle, of Life and Motion.

This being the Great thing, Our Saviour Prayed For (in All, that ſhould believe on him) that they All, might come to be One in Him; and Perfect in p. 4One. And Not only, they In Him, but He In them: and abide in Them (as another Chap.) And ſo, he concludeth, his Solemn Prayer, With Repeating That particular (ſo much inſiſted on before:) And I In them.

By which, we are, not only, His Brethren and Siſters; But (as Himſelf ſaid) His Mother alſo. When, He is Made Known, and Formed In us. Chriſt In you the Hope of Glory. But I muſt onelyonly Glance at This, which is ſo Fully treated, elſewhere.

And as God, hath pleaſed to Manifeſt himſelf, In Our Nature, ſo he hath alſo Filled it, with That, which is Infinite; ſo, that it cannot hold it in: but is even Forced to Vent it: and Longeth, to be Drawn, and Sucked, more then ever Anv, Womans Breſt.

As Elihu ſaid, I am full of the Spirit of God, and I muſt utter it. And our Saviour ſaith, O How am Iſtraitned, Till it be accompliſhed! As a ſweet Perfume, or Oyntment, in ones hand; the more, it be Preſſed, the more it Floweth out. And when the Breſt is Full, the Mother calls for Any Child: the Son of a Stranger: If her Own, be not Ready to Suck.

And This Great Advantage, we have Gotten, by Gods putting His▪ Own, Infinite Nature, into Our Finite: That it muſt flow Out, to Eaſe its ſelf (as we may ſpeak.) Being ſo Vaſtly Great, beyond the Humane Nature, that it cannot be contained in it: but As the Great Ocean, in a Little Shell. Still Flowing Vp, and Flowing Out. Whereas, If he had ſent the Son, only as God: or the Holy Ghoſt: They might have ſo Contained, or Detained, the Godhead: that we might, have ſeen it, no more, then in the very Father. But now, God is Manifeſt in Fleſh; which can not hold, What it hath, Too Great, for the narrow cover.

We may add alſo, that our Saviour himſelf ſaid, It is a more Bleſſed thing to Give, then to Receive. So that Himſelf, was not So Bleſſed, by Receiving, All the fulneſs of the Godhead: As he was, and ſtill is, by Giving it Out. And If we knew the Gift of God; and Happineſs to Give: And Who it was, that ſaid it To us: We would aske, and He would Give us, a Fountain of Living Water; flowing out to God and Men about us. For In our Fathers Houſe is Bread Enough, and to Spare: and in our Brothers Heart, enough to ſpare: of Water, Wine, and Milk: ſtill Running out; and crying, Come, Every One, that thirſteth: Come: yea Come and Drink: and Drink Abundatly, My Friends.

This is the Good will of Him that dwelt in the Buſh: That ever Flamed, but was not Conſumed. For, by this Vnion, in our Saviour; the Divine Fire, is cooled ſo, in Humane Water (the Piller in the Cloud:) that it is both Safe, and Sutable; and Pleaſing to us. Whereas elſe, it had devoured us. For, Our God, is a Conſuming Fire.

And when All the People ſaw it, They ran away and cryed, O Let not God ſpeak thus any more; but let Him ſpeak by Thee; and We will hear. And then he anſwered, They have Rightly Spoken. This was my Intent, in All my Thundering; but to make them ſee their Need; of ſuch a Mediator. And now Therefore, I will Raiſe up a Prophet, From among their Brothren: Like unto Thee. And this, is 4 times repeated in Deut. with the 3. and 7. of the Acts. And in every place, it is ſtill obſerved, that the Prophet, muſt be a Brother. From among thy Brethren.

And the Scripture puts a Mighty ſtreſs on This, that in All his Offices, our Saviour is, and ſo was made, Our Brether. And the Author to the Heb. is bold to ſay, that In All things; even All p. 5things. It behoved Him (for Our and His advantage alſo) to be made like His Brethren. And although it was ſo in All things: yet in ſpecial, that, He might be a Merciful and Faithful, High Prieſt. For, Every High Prieſt is Ordained For Men, and Taken From among Them. For them: Not Againſt them.

Wherefore Holy Brethren, partakers of that Heavenly Calling of a Brother: Look upon, and much Conſider, the Apoſtle (prophet) and High Prieſt; we ſo Profeſs, or Own, and Claim to be our Brother.

And again, Let us hold faſt this Profeſſion, or this Claim of Chriſt, in ſuch Relation. For, we have not an High Prieſt, that cannot be touched with our Infirmities: or Feeling of them: but was in All Points, Tempted as We are. Even in All points! (both of Subſtance, and Circumſtance alſo.) To Preſume, and to Deſpair: yea, and to deſtroy Himſelf: and other horrid Temptations.

Let us Therefore (even Therefore) Come with Boldneſs; to the Throne of Grace: that ſo, we may obtain mercy; and find Grace, to Help in a time of Need. For Solomon ſaith, A Brother was born for a Time of Need: or For a Day of Adverſity.

And the very ſigh, by which we expreſs ſorrow (in all Languages) Ah, Ah; is alſo, Brother, Brother, in the Mother Language. As if God would teach us, ſtill in ſorrow, both to think of a Brother; and Call for his Help. To which, himſelf may allude, in that of Jeremy: They ſhall not Lament, ſaying, Ah Brother, or Ah Siſter. And we never cry Ah; Ah; but our Saviour hears, and knows, we need Him: crying: Brother, Brother.

And he knoweth alſo, and hath told us, There is No Temptation on us, but was common to our Nature: and to Him, as made in it. And He is Faithful, and will not ſuffer us to be Tempted, Above our Strength; or His, in us: As Paul writeth to Every one that Calls on the Name of Chriſt, Their Lord and Ours: and yet, our Brother alſo.

This was it, the Spouſe longed for, O that thou wert my Brother; that ſucked the breſts of my Mother! when I found Thee, I would Kiſs Thee; and I ſhould not be deſpiſed. I would lead thee to my Mothers Houſe (as Iſaac led Rebecca, into Sarahs Tent:) and I would give Thee Spiced Wine, and Pomgranates (as of mixed Nature:) And his left hand ſhould be under my head; and his Right hand ſhould embrace me. Not afraid of either Hand: it ſeems.

And He is now, ſo made Our Brother; As ſhe longed. And we may preſs it on him. If He be Indeed, That Prophet, promiſed to Moſes: Then he is, our Brother. Elſe we may not Take him, for our Prophet, or our King. For God expreſly tells his people, If at any time, they Chooſe a King, They may not Take a Stranger: But a Brother. One amongſt thy Brethren. and repeats it, yet again, and adds. Thou mayeſt not ſet a Stranger over thee; Who is not thy Brother. And again, When he is ſet Over thee, he ſhall take heed, he do not exalt himſelf above his Brethren: but muſt ſtill own himſelf to be Their Brother: that he may prolong his Reign Over them.

And the Kings of Iſrael, were to read that Scripture in a Solemn Manner, at Releaſes. And when King Agrippa came to Read it ſo: He wept, Vntill they cryed, that he was their Brother: and the Law did own him ſo.

And ſo is Chriſt. That we may go to our Saviour, As They came to Joſeph: And as the words are, They gave him a Charge (in the Name of their Father) ſaying, Our Father, bid us ſay, Forgive, I pray thee now, the Treſtaſs of thy Brethren: and when Joſeph heard them ſpeak, He p. 6wept: and ſo, he did, when firſt he made them know, he was their Brother.

And Thus, Ruth, was ſent, by Naomy, to Boaz (one of Might: a Type of Chriſt: the next a kin to Ebimeleck; My God the King:) and bid to lye down at his feet; and ſaid, Spread thy skirt over thine Handmaid: For, thou art a near Kinſman.

And the Law, hath put a ſpecial blot on him; that will not Own his Kindred: or do the Office of a Brother; when he is Required: For the Woman was to pull off his Shoe, and ſpit in his face: and thus it ſhall be done. And may we not come and tell our Saviour, that his Brother Adam, Dyed without Iſſue to God: and that He only, can Raiſe it up In VsUs: who are now Widows?

And That it is, not only, permitted, but Commanded, and our Duty, Thus to plead with Chriſt; in our addreſſes to him; may be Farther Cleared from Solomon. Not only, Bidding us, Say to Wiſdom, Thou art my Siſter, and to Ʋnderſtanding, Thou art my near Kinſwoman: But alſo, to keep This Law, as the choyſeſt of All Lawes: and As the Apple of our Eye: the tendereſt part of all the body. And he plainly ſhews us, This is the way, to be kept, from the Spirit of Error, and Deluſion, (His Deceitful Woman:) Thus, to come to Chriſt, and plead our Kindred, and Relation to him. For it is He only, that is True Wiſdom. In whom are hid All Treaſures of Wiſdom, and Knowledge. The Power and Wiſdom of God: and ſo deſcribed, by Solomon alſo in divers places. As, in his 8. Chap. Where Wiſdom ſhews its pedigree; and Coming forth from Eternity.

And yet, There alſo, This Wiſdom, profeſſeth, that although He were With God; and brought up with him; and Daily His Delight; Rejoycing alwayes before him; Yet I rejoyced in the Habitable parts of his Earth; and my Delight was with the Sons of Men. And not onelyonly with Adam in Innocence: but even After the Fall: Till which, we find no Sons of Men. But my Delight was with the Sons of Men. Now Therefore, Hearken to me O ye Children.

Where he maketh His Delight in the Sons of Men, the Ground of his Call: and we ſtill run away, From all his Calls, till we believe, They Spring, from His Delight In us: or at leaſt, ſome Love To VsUs.

As we may ſee in the Very Prologue of the Law. Which is All founded on This, I am the Lord Thy God, and Thy Redeemer. Therefore, Thou ſhalt have No Other Gods: or Wayes of Worſhip: but ſhalt Love my Name, and keep my Sabbaths. Becauſe I am Thy God, and have Loved thee. which we may find the firſt and laſt of All, or moſt Commands in all the Laws of Moſes.

For God ſaw it ſtrange, or vain, to aske Our Hearts: or ſuch Reſpect, and Reverence, as became a God: Before he gave us His Heart: and Owned himſelf to be Our God: and to Love us Heartily. For Who hath firſt Given? or hath Lent to him? that it might be paid, or recompenſed.

I diſpute not here, To Whom, the Law was Given: (though we may believe him, that tells us, it was Given, to the Worſt of Sinners. And how Elſe, are They Guilty, of Breaking it? If it were not, Given to them?) But for the preſent, Let it be granted only, that it was Given unto Chriſt; as a Man; and the Seed of Abraham alſo: (that was put Ʋnder the Law, more, it may be, then Adam was:) and Circumciſed alſo, for a Debtor to the Whole Law: and To Fulfill All Righteouſneſs.

And he was not only, Put, under the Law (as other men were) but p. 7Made Ʋnder it; For his very Being, was, made up, of the Holy, Righteous Image of God: which was, but ſhadewed, in the Law. Which was ſo written, in his Heart, alſo, that he could, as ſoon, Vnmake himſelf, and let out All his Being; as ever break, one Tittle, of the Law. Which was, his Pleaſure alſo; and his choice delight: and not a Burthen, As to VsUs. Nor can wee conceive him, an Holy, Good Man: In Perfect Wiſdom, and Integrity; But, he muſt be Made Of, With, and VnderUnder the Moral Law of God: as Near, and Dear, to him, as his own Life and Being.

So, that He, cannot plead, his own Death, to Free him From it: As we may, to Free our ſelves, from the Law; which hath Power over us, But While we Live. For, He that is Dead, is Freed from Sin, (a Bleſſed Word:) and From the Law alſo. But He was, ſo Made Ʋnder it; that he choſe, to Live again, to Keep it more; as his own Choiſeſt delight and Happineſs.

And Himſelf, hath ſummed up, All the Law, into Love. And of his Love to God, his Father, we nothing doubt: but of his Love to Man, is All the Queſtion. Yet we read, It is Vain, for a Man, to ſpeak of Loving God: If he do not alſo Love his Neighbour. which himſelf made, As Great a Law, as That of Loving God; and Like, or Equall unto, That, he made, the Firſt, and Great Command.

Nay, he may ſeem, to make it More: (or of More Worth, and acceptance, which God) to Love Ones Neighbour, then, any otherwiſe, to Love God himſelf. For, That of Loving on's Neighbour, and Doing to All, As one would wiſh to himſelf; he ſaith Is The Law, and the Prophets alſo: Which is more, then we read, of All Other Love to God. And the Law and the Prophets alſo do More forbid, Evil Thoughts ond Words, againſt, a Brother or Neighbour, then againſt, God himſelf, As Deut. 15. 9. & Pſal. 50. 20. Eſa. 58. Zechar. 7. 10. 8. 17.

And Man, hath nothing elſe, or very little, to Expreſs, his love to God, (whom he cannot ſee, or reach, by All his Righteouſneſs and Love:) but by Loving his Neighbour: That is Every Man. For, he that Loved Another, hath Fulfilled the Whole Law. And All elſe is but a Tinckling Cymbal.

For, even That, which bids me Love God, and his Name, with All my Soul, and Might; requires me both, to propagate his Name, and Nature, or Image: and to Preſerve it, and Reſtore it, All I may. And is not This, to Love my Neighbour, As my ſelf, or More?

For, Is there a Man, in the World, in whom, I may not ſee the Name, and Image, and Glory, of God; as much, or more, then yet it is, in me? Or ſoon, it may be ſo: and that it may; I muſt, and cannot but endeavour, All I can; If I Love God, with All my Soul and Might.

And thus I ſee, the Saints of God, ſtill Meaſure All their Love to God, by Declaring his Name to Men; and Making known, his Lovelineſs. As the Spouſe did, Till even They that ſinote her, and took away her Veyle, (or at leaſt, knew him not, whom her Soul loved) Came, and ſought him, with her.

And another Cryed, Let him not ſpare; For, I have not hidden his Holy Word: But I have, and will Declare it, to my Brethren: Yea, to the Great Congregation. Loe, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knoweſt. I have not hid thy Righteouſneſs, within my Heart. I have declared Thy faithfulneſs, and Thy Salvation, I have not Concealed thy Loving kidneſs, and thy Truth: from the Great Congregation. p. 8And I will Declare, Thy Name, to All Congregations; and to All Generations: and I will Declare for Ever.

Thus it was, with Job, and David, and Chriſt himſelf; for, it was He, that Spake, and Acted In Thoſe Holy Men: and moſt of All, in thoſe peculiar Pſalms of Chriſt, upon the Croſs. And his dying Prayer, ſaith, I have Glorified Thy Name: I have finiſhed My Work: For, I have Declared Thy Name: and have made it Manifeſt. And yet again, I have done it, and I will do it. For, it is ſo ſweet, that I cannot forbear: and the more I ſpread it, the more I ſee its beauty, and its ſweetneſs: and the more I Rub, This Precious Oyntment, It Perfumeth more. Thy Name, is an Oyntment Poured forth; and Therefore the Virgins love Thee.

And if We look, on All, the Laws of God, through All the Bible, we ſhall find Them More, For Man, and His Good; then For God, and His Gain, or Glory; but in Mans Happineſs. And All, Eſtabliſhed, In, and Through the Mediator, Jeſus Chriſt. The Great Law Maker, as God: and the Great Law Keeper, as Man: both to God, and Men alſo.

The Jews tell us, that before the World was made, God bowed down, and put his hand, under his Robe of Glory; and brought out the Spirit of the Meſſiah (which they ſay, Firſt Moved on the Waters:) and looking on it, ſaid, Wilt thou Redeem Iſrael? and when, he anſwered, Yea: He ſaid, But Doſt thou well to conſider, All the Toyle, of That Great Work? Art thou indeed content, to lay aſide thy Robes, and Kiſs their Raggs? To Suck their Wounds, and Waſh their Sores, and wipe away their Putrid fleſh? To be among the Chains, and Tombes; and rowle away their Clots, and Worms? To Love their Duſt! and raiſe them from the Grave of Death, and Rottenneſs? and when, upon ſome pauſe, he Said, he would: and was content, and Glad, to do it All: The Father Kiſt him; and made, an Everlaſting Covenant, with him: or to That Effect.

Which is but ſome, of This, before us, Made of a Woman: and made Ʋnder the Law. Even, All the Law of Love, To Man, as Well as to God: and to Redeem Them, that were Ʋnder the Law; that ſo we might receive the Adoption of Sons.

And there is Somewhat, in All the Laws, and Promiſes, that doth eſpecially, relate to Chriſt: and is laid, upon Him, by God; and expected from him.

As the Firſt, and Fundamental Promiſe (that the Womans Seed ſhall Break the Serpents head:) Is Promiſed, to Man; but Required of Chriſt. For, it is not ſaid, It May, but it Muſt: and Shall, Break the Serpent. Or, as the 72 Pſal expreſſeth it, He ſhall break in pieces the Oppreſſor: and as other Scriptures have it, He ſhall Looſe his knots (as proper to the Curling; Croſſing Serpent, in Iſaia 27.) he ſhall diſſolve All the Works of the Devil. Yea, and by Death, deſtroy him, that hath the Power of Death, which is the Devil; and ſhall Root up Every Plant, the Heavenly Father hath not Planted.

And if Sin, come VnderUnder, Theſe Plants; or Thoſe Promiſes: may we not hope, it ſhall be Rooted out, and quite deſtroyed? As the Church is bid to Cry, Take away All Iniquity (Not onelyonly Ours, but All.) and Let the Iniquity of the Wicked come to an end. As it is Prayed; and Therfore Promiſed; in the Pſalms: and we are bid to cry for All; Forgive Ʋs our Sins. Yea, and Chriſt, Prayeth This, In us and with us. Therefore it ſhall be Granted: for He ſayeth, Lord Forgive: As I, and Theſe, and All my Children Do forgive.

p. 9And we do not read, God Curſed Adam, or Eve; but the Serpent; Though he laid Pain and Travel on Eve; with Labour, Toyle, and Sweat, on Adam. But of Noah it was ſaid, This Man ſhall give us Reſt, or Comfort, in our work and Toyl; becauſe of the Earth, which the Lord hath Curſed.

And when Noah, built an Altar, After the flood; God ſmelt a ſavour of Reſt (as alluding to the Name of Noah, Reſt) and ſaid in his Heart, (his very Heart) I will not again Curſe the Ground, Any more, for Mans ſake. Which may ſpeak it Curſed before, for Mans ſake; or elſe, For Mans ſake I will bleſs it Now: and Curſe it no more. And God Bleſſed Noah, and his Sons: (which is not read of Adams Sons:) and did not only, give him Leave, to Rule the Creatures, as before to Adam; but a Larger Commiſſion; in the Beaſts of the field (which were not ſo put VnderUnder Adam: and the Serpent was more ſubtile, then All other Beaſts:) and other Particulars: which are now, All put, under Noah: and delivered up, into his Hands; with a Promiſe alſo, that his Dread, ſhould be upon them. And That Promiſe is made Good, in Chriſt. In whom, he makes a Covenant for us, with the Beaſts of the field: when He hath Marryed VsUs, and ſaved us, by the Lord Jehovah: as the Prophet Hoze. And Then, the Earth alſo, ſhall yeeld her increaſe; and God, even our God, ſhall bleſs us: and his ſaving light, ſhall be, Ʋpon All Nations. As the Pſalms, in divers Places.

And our Saviour may allude, to Thoſe Promiſes to Noah (and His name of Reſt, and Giving Reſt, from Labour:) when he calleth, All That Labour, and are heavy Laden: Adding, I will Give you Reſt. And again, You ſhall find Reſt to your Souls: however it be to your Bodies. That of the Rainbow, we find, in other Scriptures: deſcribing the Throne of God, (As by an Eye, with its Rainbow) and the Revelation Cloatheth Chriſt, with the Rainbow (As a Circle, which himſelf can never break:) Which is alſo, Round about the Throne: that it may be, Ever ſeen, and Never out of Sight, or Mind. To witneſs the Everlaſting Covenant with Noah, and Mankind: As afterward, with Iſrael, in the Prophets Eſay, and Jeremy. And we All, are In That Covenant, made with Noah: and it is, no ſmall Matter, to be, in Any, One Covenant, with God.

That, of Slaying the Man-ſlayer, may ſeem, to put, Every Man VnderUnder Coertion: That cannot, be diſpenced with. For, if it be laid, on All Mankind, to ſlay the Blood ſhedder: who can Exempt himſelf or others?

And is God indeed, ſo careful for our Blood? and is he not more for our Souls? Is He ſo ſtrict, which Beaſts, and Men, and every Mans Brother? and is he not, As ſtrict, with Satan, or Any that devour our Souls? And is not Chriſt, in This alſo? Seeing himſelf branded Cain, for Hating his Brother: or ſaying, Am I my Brothers Keeper?

But God hath made, Every Man, his Brothers Keeper: and our Saviour, more then All. As Pſal. 72. He ſhall ſave the Soul of the Needy: and Pretious ſhall their Blood, be in his ſight. He ſhall Redeem their Souls from Deceit and Violence. Men ſhall be Bleſſed in Him: All Nations ſhall Call him Bleſſed.

The Bleſſed Seed (for he ſpeaketh not of Seeds, as of Many, but of One, which is Chriſt) to Bleſs All Nations, and All Families: or Every Family of the Earth: As it is repeated, both to Abraham, and Jacob, and the Pſalmiſt ſaith, God hath ſet him for Everlaſting Bleſſings, or Bleſſings for ever. and to the Great Multitude, in the Temple Courts: The Apoſtle ſaid, God hath p. 10ſent him to Bleſſe you, by Turning Every one of you, From your Iniquities. God hath ſent him on This Errand; and hath put him Ʋnder this Law: which is much to be pleaded with him.

And the 4th Command, requireth him, to Keep the Reſt of God: not only himſelf, and his Sons and Daughters but his Men-Servants and Maid-Servants; and Cattle, and Stranger alſo, in his Gate: They muſt All be brought to Reſt the Reſt of God. That thy Man-Servant, and thy Maid-Servant, may Reſt, as well as Thou. That thine Ox, and thine Aſſe, may be refreſhed. And the Pſalmiſt may allude to This; as often, as he Calls himſelf, A Stranger with God or the Son of His Handmaid.

And This 4th. Command, may be found, the Sum, of All the 2d. Table. Which requireth, Every Man, and Chriſt alſo, as a Man, to Love his Neighbour as himſelf: and to endeavour that Servants, and Strangers alſo, may be brought, To the Reſt of God: and be Refreſhed As well as We. And moulded, into the Image of God. For, they All Groan, for the Glorious Reſt, and Freedom, of the Sons of God.

And the Beauty, of That Image To be Formed in them, will ſo recompence, All the Labour of Chriſt; that He will Never, Repent it. And He is ſo much in Love, with That Image to be Formed in VsUs; that his Many years, of Suffering, and Service, are but As a Few Dayes, in his Eyes: For the Rachel, of his Love. For, he ſhall ſee the Travel of his Soul, and ſhall be Fully Satisfied, and be at Reſt.

And the Sabbatical year of Reſt, was For the Earth alſo; the Earth which the Lord Curſed. Nor might they reap, What grew of its Self. For, it is a year of Reſt, unto the Land: and the Sabbath of the Land, ſhall be meat, for Thee, and thy Maid, and Hired Servant; and for the Stranger that Sojourneth with thee: and the Gleaning, of every Harveſt, muſt be left for the Poor and Stranger. As the 19th. of Levit. Where we have alſo the Sum of All the Royal Law of Love: As it lieth on Every Man, as Man: and ſo, on Chriſt Alſo.

Thou ſhalt not Hate thy Brother in thy Heart. Thou ſhalt, in any wiſe, rebuke thy Neighbour: and not ſuffer Sin upon him. A bleſſed Law! to be preſſed, much on Chriſt. And the Sum of our Coven ant is, To ſubmit to his Teachings, and Rebukes, or Chaſtenings; which are called, the Rods of the Covenant. Very pretious things!

And Thus, he promiſed, the Holy Spirit, to Reprove the World. And we ſhould beg it much. As David Cryes, O Search and Try me, If any Evil way be in Me: and Lead me in the Way Everlaſting. All other wayes, will quickly end: As Thorns in a fire.

Thouſhalt not Avenge; or Bear any grudge, againſt the Children of thy People: But thouſhalt Love thy Neighbour, As thy Self. I am the Lord.

Doth it not lie, on our Saviour, alſo? Not to Avenge, or bear any grudge, againſt his People? or the Children of his People? May not This Include, the Children of his Servant Noah? the Thouſand Generations of Him, that Loved God, and Served him, with an Ʋpright heart: which God himſelf owned for a Perfect heart: To Noah, David, Job, and Abimelech alſo; As the Words in Hebrew. Gen. 20. 5, 6. And it is not only ſaid, that God did Covenant, with a Thouſand Generations; But alſo, Commanded it for a Thouſand Generations: As Pſ. 105. 8.

And the Law is plain: Thou mayeſt not bear a Grudge, againſt the Children of thy People. Thou ſhalt not Retain. For, So is the Word, and often uſed, againſt Retaining Anger.

p. 11So directly Oppoſite, to Gods Retaining mercy. Which he maketh ſo Great a part, of his Name, to Moſes: and with ſuch an Emphaſis; that Moſes left it, Noted, with a very Great Letter, in the word of Keeping Mercy: As the Jews yet obſerve it, in Exod. 34. and again, in Numb. 14. They have another Great Letter, in That, Let the Power of My Lord be Great, as thou haſt ſpoken. And Gods Keeping Mercy, is the Tenor of the Song, in all the Scripture. And by Davids Laſt Words, Some were ſet, to ſing it ſtill; and keep it up, in the Peoples hearts. And when they did agree, in This, the Glory of God appeared; and ſome ſtrange Return of Prayer. 1 Chron. 16. 41. and 23, 24. with 2 Chron. 5. 13. and 20, 21, 22. And there is, ſcarce Any thing, more Clear, in all the Bible, then that, he will not, Retain his Anger: and much leſs For Ever. Seeing he bids us, not Let, the Sun go down upon our Wrath. And himſelf gave us, an example of it, at the Fall: and Afterwards, the Curſed perſon, muſt not Hang beyond Sunſet. As in Moſes and Joſhuah. The Caſe of Saules Nephewes Hanged up, before the Lord; was Extraordinary: and ſeemeth branded with Riſpaes Goodneſs, in Watching them, which occaſioned David, to bury them; with the bones of Saul, and his Sons, Hanged alſo. And It is Giveing place to Sathan, or Cloſing with the Devil; To Reſerve Anger, but for One Evening, As Epheſ. 4. and Wrath doth Reſt, (or Lodge, for a Night) in the Boſome of Fools. And Wrath, is an Hebrew word, implying ſomewhat to paſs away, or paſſing. As Come my People, Hide thee a little moment; Till my Wrath be Paſt.

And the Great Cauſe, of Gods taking up, ſuch a Laſting War with Eſau (and Amalech, a Branch, of E…au) was, for that, he Forgot the Brotherly Covenant: or Kindneſs to his Brother Jacob: and Let his Anger Tear perpetually: and caſt off pity: and Kept his Wrath for Ever. As in Amos, and Ezek. 35.

Yet, Edoms Widows, and Fatherleſs Children, are called in, to God, in Jer. 49. And ſo the Law of War, requireth, in Deut. 20. Which is much, to be preſſed on Chriſt. If thou Go to war, thou ſhalt firſt offer Peace: and if Peace be Rejected, yet thou muſt Preſerve the Women, and Children. So that, In Judgment, thou muſt ſtill, remember Mercy.

And wilt thou not yet ſay, My Father? the guide of my Youth! Will be reſerve his Anger for Ever? will he keep it to the End? as Jer. 3. And again, Return O Back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord. I will not cauſe my Anger, to fall upon you: For I am Merciful, ſaith the Lord: And I will not Keep Anger, for Ever. And in Lam. It is good for a man, to wait and hope, for the Salvation of God. For He will not caſt off for ever; but though he cauſe grief, yet he will have compaſſion, according to the Multitude of his Mercies: For he doth not afflict, from his Heart, or Grieve, the Children of Men.

And in the Pſalms, The Lord is Merciful and Gracious, ſlow to Anger, and plenteous in Mercy: he will not alwayes Chide; Nor will he keep his Anger for Ever. And the 30th Pſal. Give thanks at the Remembrance of his Holineſs; Becauſe, or For, his Wrath Endureth but a Moment. As if During, Laſting wrath, could not conſiſt with Holyneſs: and leaſt of All, in God: whoſe …ure and Holy eyes, Turn away, from All, that cauſeth Wrath; or may prolong it: and Therefore, he blotteth out Iniquity, For his Own Names ſake. Becauſe he cannot endure to ſee it. And he bids us, Put him in mind, of This Word; and Plead it with him, that we may be Juſtified, Eſay. 43.

And This Holyneſſe of God, is, p. 12Divers times, made the Great Object of our Praiſe: Or Reaſon Why we ſhould Praiſe the Lord. Who might be Feared, for his Power, or Wiſdom; but Praiſed, Only, for his Holineſs: which is Godneſs in divers places, Pſal. 22. 30. 97. 99, 100. 136. with the former places in the Cronicles.

And Micah ſaith, He will not Retain his Anger for Ever: becauſe he Delighteth in Mercy. And in Eſay: I will not contend for Ever; neither will I be Alwayes Wrath: For, the Spirit ſhould fail before me: and the Souls which I have made.

A Great Argument for Mercy. Thy hands have made me and faſhioned me: Forſake not the Work of thy Own Hands. And, Haſt Thou not poured me out as Milk? And Curdled me as Cheeſe? and Thou wilt have deſire, to the works of thy own hands. And in our Greateſt Sufferings, we are bid, to commit, the Keeping of our Souls (our Souls) to God, in Well doing; As to a Faithfull Creator: and a Faithful preſerver alſo.

O Thou Preſerver of Men! What ſhall I do to thee? I have Sinned; but why Wilt thou not Pardon my Tranſgreſſions; and Take away mine Iniquities? Wilt thou not ſeek me in the morning?

And all theſe may comment, on That Law of Love, in Leviticus. Thou ſhalt not avenge, or Retain, againſt the Children of thy People. But Thou ſhalt Love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. As plainly ſhewing that Any Retaining Anger, is not conſiſtent, with the Good Law of God, or Love of our Neighbour.

And leſt we ſhould miſtake, the Phraſe of Neighbour, and Brother, uſed here; the very ſame Chapter, requireth to love a Stranger, As ones ſelf. the 19. of Levit. 34. and the 25. doth alſo make a ſtranger as a Brother. Saving If Thy Brother wax poor, thou ſhalt relieve him: though a Stranger or a Sojourner. And to other Arguments, for Strangers: (as that, They were Strangers, in Egypt; and muſt know the Heart of a Stranger:) It is added alſo, that God Loveth Strangers. And the Hebrews are bidden, not to Forget to entertain Strangers; becauſe ſome have ſo, Entertained Angels unawares.

And yet, One of the hardeſt words of our Saviour is, I know you not; or, you are Strangers. Though himſelf obſerveth the Law of ſtrangers, ſaying, I was a ſtranger, and you took Me not in (as Job ſaith, the Stranger did not Lodge without his Doors:) And in the Good Samaritan, the phraſe of Neighbour, or Brother, is plainly made, to reach a Stranger, and an Enemy.

And ſo, in the Law alſo. For What, in one place, is a Brothers Ox or Aſſe, In another, is an Enemies, and His that Hateth us: and yet, His Laden, ſtraying Aſſe, muſt be Pitied, and Helped. Wilt thou Ceaſe to Help him? Or to leave thy Buſineſs for him? (as the Margent of our Bible:) Thou ſhalt ſurely Leave it, to joyn with him, and help him, Exod. 23. 15.

And although our Souls, be as the Wild Aſſes Colts; yet we may plead This Law alſo, with our Saviour. Though they be the Aſſes, of his Enemies, and them that Hate him; Yet in ſtraying, or being Laden; He will keep This Law: and ſurely Joyn to Help them.

And to This, he might allude, when he ſent his Diſciples, to looſe the Aſſe (Tyed in the Broad way, where 2 wayes met) and then came, Meek and Lowly; As the King of Zion, upon an Aſſe, the Foal of an Aſſe.

And the paralel place in Deut. ſpeaking, of a Brothers, or a Strangers, Ox or Aſſe, by That Occaſion, giveth a General Rule, of All things that are Loſt. In like manner ſhalt thou do, with his Aſſe, and ſo ſhalt thou do with his Rayment; and with All Loſt things. Thou p. 13mayeſt not Hide thy ſelf. A very ſweet Law, and much to be preſſed on our Saviour, when we fear our Souls Moſt Loſt: As, they may be moſt, in them that are Leaſt ſenſible.

Doth he not ſay, he came to ſeek and Sa…e, That which is Loſt? And ſo, he clearly expreſſeth it, diverſe times. In the Laſt Sheep, & Loſt Groat: and the Great Joy in Heaven, at Finding Any loſt Sinner. And This is written, in his Heart alſo; both, to the Loſt Image of his Father; and our Loſt Souls: and the Law ſaith, Thou Mayeſt not (plainly, Mayeſt not) Hide thyſelf: from That which is L…ſt.

And How doth God complain, againſt the Evill Shephards, that did not ſtrengthen the Weak, or heal the Sick, o… bind up the Broken, or bring home that which was Driven away; or ſeck out That which was Loſt? But I will ſearch and ſeek them out: and I will bind up, that which is Broken: and I will ſtrengthen, that which is ſick: and I will bring home That which was Driven away: and I will ſeek out that which is loſt: and I will ſet One Shepard, over them: which our Saviour alſo, Took upon him, for His Duty.

And Other ſheep I have; and them alſo, I muſt bring in. And whoever, Theſe were (How many ſo ever, or How few) yet He plainly owneth, Men as Sheep, before Converſion: In their Natural State of Wrath, as wel as others.

And ſo Peter alſo, ſpeaketh of ſome before Converſion; that they were, As ſheep going aſtray, but Then, returning to the Great Shepard of the Flock. And Eſay ſaith, We Al… ſtrayed, As Loſt ſheep; and the Lord made our Inicuities to meet upon Him. And in divers Pſalmes, Al Nations and People of the Earth, are Called in, becauſe they are His People, and the ſheep of his Flock: and the ſheep of His H…nds. And As a Sinner (in a ſtate of Sin) may be a ſheep; ſo a wicked man is a Brother: and Owned ſo in the Law; that ſaith, The Judge ſhall beat the Wicked Man, deſerving ſtripes; and yet but 40: Leaſt, Thy Brother (Though a Wicked man) be Vile in Thine Eyes. And Chriſt himſelf, may allude to This, when he ſpeaketh of Many ſtripes, to him, that knew his Maſters Will: and yet but 40. For, he is a Brother. And the Great Law of Redemption, Is but a Branch, of Loving God, and our Neighbour: and of Seeking, All that is Loſt, or ready to be Loſt; from God, and His VnderUnder Tenants.

For you are Mine, ſaith the Lord, and Your Land is Mine. You ſhall not ſell, or pawn, or Alienate, your ſelves, or your land, from me, for Ever. But There ſhall be a Redemption. Either the Perſon himſelf: or his next Kinſman that can, ſhall Redeem him, and his land. Is there Any Kinſman Nearer then Chriſt! that Can Redeem us? Doth not This Law, lie upon him alſo? Dotb God indeed take care of Oxen, Aſſes, Bodies, Lands, and Houſes of Clay? And did he not take care of our Souls? the Souls which He hath made (as himſelf ſpeaketh) more Pretious then the World beſide?

And This Redemption of Perſons, and Lands; is but a ſhadow, of Redeeming Souls: and a …ledge, or Earneſt, hereof. As we may ſee plainly: by comparing, Lev. 25, and 26. As the ſum of the Law, and Goſpel alſo. Which After Dreadful Threatnings, Concludeth ſweetly, in the 44. verſ. Yet, nevertheleſs, For All This, or That, I will not caſt them away: neither will I abhor them, to deſtroy them Vtterly, or Break my Covenant with them. Which is often preſſed on God, in the Pſalms and Prophets. Forſake me not Ʋtterly. And Haſt thou Ʋtterly rejected Zion?

And be not our Souls, as Little our own? and as Much the Lords? as the Jews Bodies? Lands? and Houſes were? p. 14Yet Theſe, might not be Sold, or Alicnate for Ever: But There muſt be a Redemption: Becauſe they are the Lords: and He will not part with His Right: and careth he not, that we ſell our Selves to Sin, or Sathan for Ever? and hath he not provided a Redemption in This Caſe alſo? and ſhall not the Lawful, even the Lawful Captive be delivered? Even when a Man hath Sold himſelf for nought? as God expreſſeth. And If none, Either would, or Could Redeem them. Yet, were All, to go out, at the Jubile. Which was alſo, but a Type of Chriſt, our Great Redeemer and our Jubile. Yea, and in the mean time, They muſt not be Ruled with Rigour, which is often forbidden; and complained of; in the Paſtors, and Rulers, in Ezekiel: that They Ruled with Force and Rigour. Which was, ſo contrary, to the Rule of God, and Chriſt. Who was told, his People ſhould be Free, in the Day of his Power: By the Beauties of Holineſſe. And he told his Diſciples, he had All Power, in Heaven, and Earth; and Therefore, They ſhould Teach: But not Compel, or Command, with Rigour. Not as Lords, over Gods Inheritance, but Enſamples to the Flock.

And ſo, our Anceſtors, told Auſtine, in This Iſland, That Religion Ought to be Free: and not Compelled, or Forced: and the Apoſtles left it ſo: and the Laws alſo: To That Time: As we read in Bede. And Alfreds Will, declares, his ſubjects Free; as his own Thoughts: and following Kings were ſworn, to the Saxon Laws and Cuſtoms of our Anceſtors. And how much God was againſt Ruling with Rigour; we may ſee by his forbidding, to deliver up, Any Slave, that had run away, from his Maſter; which may be a great encouragement, to run to Chriſt: for, the Law forbids him, to deliver us back to Sin, or Sathan, or any hard Maſter.

And when God threatned, Hard Maſters, unto Aegypt (as they had been to Iſrael) yet in That oppreſſion, he declareth, they ſhould Cry, and be would hear, (for he is Gracious:) and would ſend a Saviour, and a Great One; and He ſhall Deliver Them: and They ſhall Come, to be a third, with Iſrael, and Aſſyria: Even a Bleſſing, in the midſt of the Land. Whom the Lord ſhall Bleſs, ſaying, Bleſſed be Aegypt my People. Which was gotten by ſome Cruel Lord, Oppreſſing them. For, the Lord ſhall ſmite, and he will Heal. As Eſay 19. And though Chriſt, be alſo a King, yet even ſo, alſo, He was VnderUnder the Law: and Made VnderUnder it. For the great Law of the King, was This, that even, when he ſat upon the Throne of his Kingdom, he ſhould write out the Law; and read it, All his dayes: that ſo he might be ſure to keep it: and not exalt himſelf above his Brethren: but Prolong his Kingom in the Midſt, or heart of his Subjects. And it is, a Great Character, of Antichriſt, to think himſelf Above the Law: or to attempt to Change the Times and Laws: As in Dan. 7. 25. and if God, have put, All men, below Coertion of the Law, Then who can Exempt them? or ſet them Above it? And perhaps, there is nothing more Dangerous, to Any Man, then to preſume, or to pretend himſelf, to be Above the Law: which God hath ſet a bound to Kings (it may be) Rather then to Private Men; whom others ſtill will bound enough, as Deut. 17. And the Great Law of a King, is Mercy Rather then Any thing elſe. For ſo, Solomon ſaith, Mercy, and Truth preſerve a King; but his Throne is Eſtabliſhed by Mercy. By Mercy, rather, then Any thing elſe: or before All other things: As the words plainly imply. And ſhall a Man Dye This Day? Am I not King of Iſrael?

And we may preſs it much, on Chriſt p. 15as the Great Law, of a wiſe King; to Preſerve his Throne by Mercy: that it do not Totter. For, of Him, and His Throne, it is eſpecially ſaid, In Mercy ſhall the Throne be Eſtabliſhed: As Eſay 16. In alluſion to That of Solomon, The Throne is Eſtabliſhed by Mercy. And the Pſalms ſay, His Throne is Everlaſting, becauſe Mercy and Truth are Ever before it, and above it: and he fings of Mercy, with his Greateſt Judgements: and Happy are They, that Hear, and Ʋnderſtand, That Joyful Sound. For, In Thy Righteouſneſs (Thy very Righteouſneſs) they ſhall be exalted, All the day long, or, (as another Pſalm) They ſhall rejoyce in All thy Righteous Judgements.

For, If his tender Mercy, be above All his Works, Then ſure, Above his Judgements alſo: which he calls his Strange Acts. But Mercy, is his own Child. For, he is the Father of Mercies: which are therefore One with Chriſt his Only Son. and yet, a little while, and Mercy ſhall Triumph againſt, or Over, Judgement: as we read in James.

And Chriſt alſo, bids them, Go, and learn That; I will have Mercy, rather then Any Sacrifice. And to him, it was ſpoken, Ride on Proſperouſly, becauſe of Truth and Meekneſs of Righteouſneſs. And He hath ſhewed thee O man! what is Good, and what the Lord Delighteth in: To do Juſtice; but in that Alſo, To Love Mercy. Or as Jeremy expreſſeth it, To Exerciſe Loving Kindneſs and Judgement: For, in Theſe I delight. And in the next Chapter, the Prophet prayeth For Gods Correction (O the bleſſed Rods of the Covenant!) and with Judgement alſo; but with ſuch Judgement, as the Chapter before: ſtill tempered with Mercy. And Solomons Son loſt the Kingdom of the 10 Tribes, by not obſerveing his Fathers Good Rule, of Eſtabliſhing his Throne, by Mercy; neglecting the Wiſe Councel, of the Old Men, that told him his Way, to get, and keep, the hearts of his Subjects, was to be more Merciful, then his Father. Which we may Preſſe on Chriſt; as the wiſeſt Councel; that he get, and keep his Subjects Hearts, by being More Mercifull, then his Father yet hath ſhewed himſelf. And yet our Saviour gives it, As a ſufficient Reaſon, why the Father alſo ſhould grant All that is asked of him: becauſe he is a Great and Glorious King. And ſo he concludeth All his Prayer, with no other, For but This: For, thine is the Kingdom, Power and Glory. As if This alone, were Cauſe enough, why he ſhould do, All that is Asked. And when Solomons Mother deſcribeth, the Law of Kindneſs, in the Good Womans Tongue; She gives her Son, This Law of Kindneſs, for his Heart. Open thy mouth for the Dumb, in the Caſe of All appointed to Deſtruction. And again, Open Thy Mouth: Judge Righteouſly: and Plead the Cauſe of the Poor and Needy. So that while the King, ſits upon the Throne, As Judge: His own Heart, and Bowels, muſt be Advocates to Plead, for All the Priſoners, at the bar. Yea, for All that be Appointed for Death: Even for the worſt offenders: who may not have Councel, in ſome Caſes and Places: becauſe indeed the Judges are to be their Counſel, in All they can▪ and that was Lemuels Councel to her Son; and the Propheſie, ſhe taught him, as for a Great King to come▪ in the Laſt of Proverbs.

And Solomon gives it, to his Son alſo; If thou forbear, to deliver them that are Drawn unto Death; and Thoſe that are ready to be Slain: If thou ſayeſt, behold we know it not: Doth not He, that p…nders the Heart, conſider it? and He that keeps Thy Soul? even Thy Soul; that hath ſo often deſerved Death: and Liveeth ſtill, but on the Free Grace of God!

And the 102 Pſal. (that is made p. 16For One Afflicted) tells us, that God looked down, from the Height of his Sanctuary, to Hear the Groaning of the Priſoners; and to Looſe Them, that are Appointed unto Death. And Were we not All Appointed to it? And may we not Preſſe it on Chriſt? to open his mouth, and Plead for All Appointed unto Death? And will not This, ſhew his Interceſſion, Larger then we do believe? not only a King, as Solomon was; but a Prieſt alſo: and ſo the Great Interceſſor. For, the …rieſts that were Men only, were the Great Mediators: and They had the Work of Expiation; with a Wo; if they did it not. Yea and that, with Tender Pitty, and Compaſſion, to the Souls of Men. And Every High …rieſt Taken from among men, is ordained For men, in things partaining to God; that he may offer Gifts, and Sacrifices For ſins: Who can have Compaſſion, on the Ignorant; and on them that are out of the Way. For that, he Himſelf, is Compaſſed with Infirmity: and by reaſon hereof, He ought, He ought to offer for ſin. As we read in the Hebr. and the Law alſo. Which did not leave it to Aarons Choiſe, and Pleaſure; to do it, If he would, and when he would: but laid it on him, and his Sons; As their Great Duty, to make Expiation for Sin; and to Bear the Iniquity, of All the Congregation, and of All their Holy Things. And to Heal the Lepers: Or pronounce them Clean; when Ever they Could. And Wo unto them, If they did it not.

And how Zealous was Moſes himſelf, the King of Jeſſuron! in Interceding? when he ſaw the Marks of Gods diſpleaſure? How did he fall, on his Face? and Bow his Heart; by Faſting 40 da…es together? how quickly, did he bow for them? and to Aaron, cryeth Take Incence; Put it on the Cenſor; Go q…i…kly! Make Atonement: For, there is Wrath Gone out; the Plague is begun.

And this, was but a Little T…pe of Chriſt; Ʋnder the Great Law, of Satisfaction, and Interceſſion.

For, every High Prieſt, is Ordained, to offer Gifts and Sacrifices: wherefore it is of Neceſſity, that This man, have ſomwhat to offer alſo. It is of Neceſſity! and He muſt, offer for Sin.

And the 45 of Ezech; gives the Law of Prieſt, and Prince together. It ſhall be the Princes Part (or Duty) to provide, and Give, Burnt-Offerings, and Meat-Offerings, and Drink-Offerings, in the Feaſts and Sabbath, and in All Solomnities, of the houſe of Iſrael: and again, He ſhall prepare the Sin-Offerings; to make Reconciliation, for the Houſe of Iſrael.

So that When, we want an Offering; or know not How, to offer it; we Ought, to go to Chriſt; and tell him, It is Now His Part, to Give the Sacrifice, and to Prepare it; that it May be Rightly offered. As God hath now laid it on Him: As the Prince, and King, of His People: There Deſcribed, and Promiſed. For, All That Prophecy, is a Clear Promiſe, of ſome Goſpel time or other. And leſt the Phraſe, of Iſrael, might ſeem to limit it ſo, as to exclude the Gentiles, or Others; In the very next verſes, God goes on, and commands the Prophet, that Ʋpon the Ʋery firſt day of the firſt Month, he ſhould take a young Bullock: and the Prieſt ſhould put the blood, upon the Poſts of the Houſe; and upon the 4 Corners of the Altars ſettle; and upon the Poſts of the Gate of the Court (For every one that Enters, or comes near It; yea and for them Afar off, alſo; For, the words follow,) and ſo, thou ſhalt de, on the 7th day of the Month: For Every one that Erreth, and for Him, that is ſimple. Which the Hebrews Turneth, To have co…paſſion, on the Ignorant, and him that is out of the Way. And the next verſes command the Paſſover, on the 14th day: p. 17and Then, the Prieſt muſt prepare a Sin-Offering; For All the People of the Land; or of the Earth: it is the ſame word.

And the Hebrews, may allude to This alſo; when it ſaith, of Chriſt, It behoveth him, to be made like his Brethren in All things; that he Might be a Merciful and Faithful High Prieſt; To make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People (as in Ezech. So ye ſhall Reconcile the Houſe:) and in the ſame Chapter: That by the Grace of God he might Taſt Death for Every Man. Or, as the Angel, Unto Daniel. To finiſh Tranſgreſſion, and make an end of ſin: to make Reconciliation for Iniquity: and to bring in Everlaſting Righteouſneſs. Thoſe commands, are alſo, given, to Ezekiel: The Son of Man, whom God made a Watchman Over Iſrael. A Mighty Type of Chriſt: in Bearing the Sins of the People: as God ſpeaketh to him, in his 40 and 390 Dayes.

And as That he ſpeaketh, of a Watcher or Biſhop (as the Phraſe, in all Greek Authors is,) may teach us, To allow Humane Orders, to be Divine Ordinances, in ſuch Caſes: as the Apoſtles alſo ſpeak: So it may alſo ſhew us the Duty of a Watcher; and his Danger, if he neglect his Duty, Towards Any Man. And who is ſufficient for it? But only Jeſus Chriſt? Thus Typed, in Ezekiel: both a Prieſt, and Prophet, or Seer, and Watcher. And thus at once, we have the Law, or Duty both of Prince and Prieſt, and Prophet alſo. For, the Greateſt, muſt be Ʋnder the Law, As well as others.

And when God Promiſed, to Raiſe up the Great Prophet; It was alwayes added, He ſhould be, One of their Brethren: and like unto Moſes; Who was more ſignally, Ʋnder the Law, then, Any Man Living: and the Meekeſt Man upon the Earth: and the only Man (as the Jews abſerve) that by the Lord himſelf, is ſo often called, My Servant; Living and Dead alſo. A great Type of Chriſt: the Servant of the Lord: as God himſelf often calls him.

Behold my Servant, whom I have choſen: my Beloved, in whom my ſoul is well pleaſed. I have put my Spirit upon him: and He ſhall ſhew Judgement to the Gentiles: and he ſhall not Strive or Cry. A bruiſed Reed, he ſhall not break: nor quench the Smoaking Flax: Ʋntill he bring forth Judgement unto Victory, (Then it ſhall be Led in Triumph by King Mercy: King of Peace and Righteouſneſs) and In his Name, the Gentiles Truſt. They Shall Truſt. As when the Root of Jeſſe, ſhall be ſeen (as formerly the Branch:) His Reſt ſhall be Glorious.

And his own Law, for Servants is, that they give All Diligence, and do All Heartily. And Himſelf Maketh it, the Great work of the Chiefeſt Servant, to Give Others Food, in Due Seaſon: and with Meekneſſe. For, if He do but begin to ſmite his Fellow Servants, (yet he is to Rule them) but if once, he do begin, to ſmite:) his Lord will come and cut him aſunder.

Unto which, it may be, Paul alludeth, when he ſaith. The Servant of the Lord, muſt not ſtrike; but be Gentle, unto All. Apt to Teach: Patient: in Meekneſſe, inſtructing Thoſe that Oppoſe themſelves.

And Solomon ſaith, that Wiſdom doth, and ſhall (for ſo the Word is) Stand and Call, to the Simple ones: and To the Scorners alſo: How long will ye love Scorning? Turn ye, at my Reproof: and I will poure out my Spirit on you. Though you Have been Scorners. Behold; I ſtand at the Door and knock.

And again, To you, O men, I call: and my Voice is To the Sons of Man. O ye Simple! Underſtand Wiſdom! and ye Fools! Be ye of an Ʋnderſtanding Heart! And again, Who ſo is Simple; Turn in Hither. As the 45. of Ezec alſo.

p. 18And it was ſaid to Chriſt, both as a Teacher, and a Ruler; Ride on Proſperouſly, becauſe of Truth and Meckneſs.

And the next Pſalms, ſpeak his Teaching, and his Ruling Meekneſs. He maketh Wars to ceaſe, to the Ends of the Earth. Be ſtill, and know, that I am God. He ſhall ſpeak the People Ʋnder us (That is the word Uſed.) He ſhall chooſe our Inheritance for us; the Excellency of Jacob, whom he loved. God is gone up, with a ſhout; Sing Praiſes to God; Sing Praiſes; Sing Praiſes to our King; Sing Praiſes. For God, is King of all the Earth: Sing Praiſe with Underſtanding. According to thy Name, O God, ſo is thy Praiſe, Ʋnto the End of the Earth. Let Mount Zion rejovce, and the Daughters of Judah be glad, becauſe of Thy Judgments. And the reaſon is often added; Becauſe he is Holy. The main, or only, Cauſe, of Praiſing God.

And ſo the Prophet Eſay. For my Names ſake, I will refrain mine Anger: For, why ſhould I give my Glory to another? As Moſes, was fain to do, to Joſhuah: For One paſſionate Speech! and another muſt have my Crown, if he be Meeker then I. For, Meekneſſe ſhall prevail, with God, and Man: and ſhall Inherit the Earth alſo. As our Saviour taught, and Practiſed.

In Patience Poſſeſs your Souls, which Elſe you loſe: Or at leaſt your Crown. And why, will you Give, your Glory, to another? It is, the Glory of Man, to Paſs by Tranſgreſſion: and the Glory of God, to Cover a Matter. To be preſſed much, on Chriſt; as Man, and God alſo.

The Apoſtle Paul, could not find a better Pattern, or a better Argument, then to beſeech us, by the Meekneſs, and Gentleneſs of Chriſt. And For This cauſe, I Obtained Mercy; that in me Firſt, Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth, All Long-ſuffering; for a Pattern, to them which ſhould hereafter believe.

And the Jews deliver it, as one of the Firſt Traditions of Moſes, to the Elders, and ſo downwards; that they ſhould make Diſciples of the Law, by Meekneſs: being ſlow to ſpeak (as Moſes was) and ſlower to Wrath, or Judging. which we find alſo, in Ieams. Who tells us, God Ʋpbraideth not; but Giveth Freely; Simply. And if Any Man, want wiſdom, he ſhould ask it of God: That Giveth Simply. But let Patience, have its Perfect Work, that ye may be Entire, Wanting Nothing. And may we not Preſs it on Chriſt alſo? and Plead it with him? That His Patience alſo, Have its Perfect Work?

And ſure If All True Wiſdom, be Peaceful, Gentle, Eaſy to be Intreated, full of Mercy, and Good works: It is much more So, in him: who hath All Treaſures of Wiſdom and Meekneſs alſo. So that All Moſes Meekneſſe, was but a Little branch, or rivulet, of His Great Root, and Ocean; of Wiſdom and Meekneſſe.

And yet Moſes could ſay, to Joſhuah, Envieſt Thou for my Sake? O that All the Lords People were Prophets! and that God would put his Spirit on them! and to God: forgive I pray thee: or elſe Blot me out of thy Book.

And was it not, the Spirit of Chriſt, that prayed ſo, in Moſes? and Other Prophets of God? ſo much Longing that All the Lords People were Prophets: and that All Might Proſper and be Safe? And was he not heard, in What he prayed? Is it not He, that ſpake in Job, and David, and the Prophets, and Apoſtles, ſighing, O that Thou hadſt Heard! and O that Thou wouldeſt hear! and Then Thy Righteouſneſſe ſhould be as the Sea, and thy Peace as the Great Rivers! and my heart is Broken with Longing, and mine eyes run down, with Rivers of Tears: becauſe They keep not thy Holy law. Give ye wings to Moab: p. 19that it may flee away, and be at reſt: Mine Heart Mourneth for it; and ſhall ſound as Pipes: my Bowels yearn: and I muſt weep: and Water thee with Tears. And Thus, To Moab, and Edom; the Worſt of Sinners; and the moſt Threatned. And would to God, that All men, were not only Almoſt, but Altogether Chriſtians: and as I am, but my bonds. And I would you knew my Earneſt Longing, and Agony; which I have to you, and to Others; even All: and as many, as have not ſeen my face, in the fleſh! and who is afflicted, and I burn not? And the Lord make you to encreaſe and abound in Love, towards one another, and to All men (to All men?) As we do towards you. And I could wiſh my ſelf Accurſed for my Brethren in the fleſh.

Was it Paul only, that Said theſe things? or Chriſt in Him? and doth he not Then, both Love, and Pitty Men? and Long, For Their Good and Happineſſe? Doth he put Others only, Upon it? Will he bind Heavy Burthens, of Deſires, on Others; and not Touch them with his little finger?

Was it not His Spirit, that ſaith, in Job, Did I not weep for Him, that was in Trouble? and was not my Soul Grieved for the Poor? My Bowels boyled, and reſted not; I went mourning, without the Sun. If I have diſpiſed the Cauſe of my Man-Servant, or Maid-Servant, when they Contended with me (the worſt of All their Doings) what ſhall I do, when God riſeth up? and when he viſiteth? what ſhall I anſwer him? Did not One, faſhion us in the Womb?

If I have eaten, my Morſel alone. If I have ſeen Any periſh, for want of clothing. Or Any Poor, without Covering. If his loins have not bleſſed me. And he were not warmed with my fleece. If I have lift up my Hand, againſt the Fatherleſs, when I ſaw my Help wanting in the Gate. Then let my arme be broken from the bone; and fall from my ſhoulder. If I rejoyced at the deſtruction of him that Hated me: or lift up my ſelf, when Evil found him.

Was not All This, but a little ſhadow of the Better, larger Heart of Chriſt? ſo far beyond the Heart of Job, or Moſes, or David, or Paul, or Any other, in the World.

And yet Here alſo, we find a Tender Heart, To All, in Want and Miſery. So that Job ſtayed not, for Tears, or Intreaties: but anothers Wants, were Prayers, Loud enough. If I have ſeen Any Periſh for want.

And till we come to ſee, This alſo, in the Heart of Chriſt: We ſtagger; and are ſtill, in fear; and doubt, of him. While we think, he meaſures out to us, but, as we do, to Him; and that we muſt begin to him, before His Giving out to us, or Seeking us.

And yet, we ſee Gods Tenderneſs, to Beaſts, that do not Pray at all, but with Natural Voices. Which his Pitty, doth Interpret, into Crying unto Him (As Paul ſaid, to the Athenians; Whom ye Ignorantly Worſhip, Him I declare:) and ſo God, to Job; Who hath eſtabliſhed Food, to the Raven? When his Young Ones Cry to God? Yea, and, when They do not Cry, but only Wander, Lacking Food?

For, he giveth Food to Every Living thing: not For its Crying, but, Becauſe his Mercy Endureth for ever. And the Sparrows, and the Swallows, come, and may (or have, leave to come) and lay their eggs, and Young Ones, On his Altars: O my King and my God! And Hezekiah did but Chatter, as a Crane, or as a Swallow, and yet God heard him. And ſo he promiſeth, in Exod. 22. If they do, at All, Cry to me, I will ſurely Hear. And the reaſon is added, alittle after; I will Hear, For I am Gracious. If they do at All Cry! How much more, when they Cry Mightily? For He that heard p. 20Young Solomon, in his ſleep; and in a Dream Only: Will he not hear him Waking? Yet it is not ſaid that he Askt his Dream again; when he awaked. But the Lord Heard, and Granted, what he did, but Ask in a Dream. How much more, in Sore Affliction? Lo he Prayeth! and he heareth All Afflicted: and executeth Judgement for All that are Opreſſed, as Pſal. 103. and He Heard Jehoahaz, when he cryed; Though he were a Wicked King: and continued ſo, in 2 Kings 23.

And he ſaw Ahaz, Going ſoftly: though a Wicked man. And he ſeeth Affliction: and it Cryeth, Lowde in his ears. And Hagar did Rightly call it, the Well of Him that Saw her: rather then Heard her: or Any Prayers, that we read of, but her Miſery.

And ſo, it was, in Aegypt. I have ſeen: I have ſeen, their Miſery; and I have heard their ſighs: although they had, as little heart, to pray, or ſpeak to God; as to hear him ſpeak by Maſes: when they could not hearken, for the Anguiſh of their hearts.

But I have ſeen; I have ſeen Ephraim; yea, and ſeen his Frowardneſs alſo! but I will heal. And when the Poor want, and cannot Cry; For, their Tongue, Cleaves to their Mouth; I will open a fountain, in the Wilderneſs. As of old, I did to Hagar.

But we muſt ſee, This alſo, to be part of the Law: that ſo we may lay it on Chriſt: and plead it with him. And God, did not onelyonly, ſhew us This, in his own Bowels (Promiſing, to Comfort All that mourn: and to Repleniſh Every Empty Soul; and Every ſorrowful Heart: on which the Prophets ſleep was ſweet to him:) But it was ſo, in his Heart; that now it is, alſo, a part of the Law. Which is but an Image, or ſhadow of the Heart of God.

Beware, there be not a Thought, in thy Wicked beart, againſt thy poor Brother, Saying, ſo or ſo. But then ſhalt ſure'y Lend, and Give him enough: or ſufficient, for his want: and yet, not a word of Asking.

Make thy ſhadow, as the Night, in the midſt of Noon: Hide the out-caſts: and bewray not him that Wandereth. Be a Covert, from the Face of the Spoyler. Let mine Out-caſts, Dwell with Thee, O Moah! As alluding to Davids bringing his Parents Ʋnto Moah; till he knew, How God would deal with him.

And again, Is not This, the Faſt, that I have Choſen? to looſe the bonds of Wickedneſs? and to undo the Heavy Burthens? and to let the broken go Free? and that ye break Every Yoke? Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry? and that thou bring the Poor afflicted, or caſt out, into thy Houſe? and when th…u ſeeſt (only ſeeſt) the Naked; that thou Cover him: and that thou hide not thy ſelf from thine own fleſh?

If thou draw out thy ſoul, to the Hungry; and ſatisfie the afflicted ſoul: Then ſhall thy light ariſe in Obſcurity: and thy Darkneſs, as the Noon day: and the Lord ſhall Guide thee continually: and ſatisfie thy▪ ſoul in Drought: and thou ſhalt be like a Watered Garden; whoſe waters never fail; or lie: and from Thee, ſhall be They, that ſhall build up, the old waſte places: and thou ſhalt be called, the Repairer of the Breach.

One of the Sweeteſt places, in the Bible: As lying on our Saviour alſo; when ever he Sees Ʋs Want. For, there is not a word of Asking, but of Want. When thou ſeeſt the Naked, that thou Clothe him: and hide not thy ſelf from thine own fleſh: and may we not plead it with Chriſt? Is not He Ʋnder This Law alſo? That He Hide not himſelf, from his own fleſh? or from That which is Loſt? or, As Holy men, cryed p. 21in the Scripture: O Lord behold mine Affliction! And again, See O Lord, and conſider! for I am become Vile: I am full of Confuſion: O ſee my Affliction. Or as Hezekiah; O Lord, I am Preſſed, Ʋery Hard; but Ʋndertake for me. Or be my Surety, and Mediator: which is clearly ſpoken to Chriſt. And ſo David cryeth out, Ini…uities Prevail, Over me: But Thou ſhalt, Thou ſhalt make Atonement, or Expiation (as the word ſignifieth) Clearly ſpoken Unto Chriſt. And ſo again; Be ſurety for me: and ſtrike Hands for thy Poor Servant.

And the Diſciple, whom our Saviour loved, tells us, that If a man ſee his Brother in Wam, he muſt not ſtay for Tears, or Prayers; but if he do but ſee him in Wam; and ſhut up his Bowels; How doth the Love of God, Dwell in ſuch a Man?

And again, If any man ſee his Brother, ſ…n a ſ…n, which is not unto Death; He ſhall Ask: (it is not left at pleaſure; but commanded: He ſhall Ask:) and he ſhall give him Life. A ſweet Promiſe.

As God bid …liphaz Go to Job: and promiſed that He ſhould intercede, and my Servant ſhall pray for you, and I will accept him. Which we ſhould Preſs on Him that was Typified out by Job, Telling him, that God hath Promiſed that He ſhall pray, and He will Hear him for us. And when Job prayed for Them, God turned His Captivity, and Healed Him and Them alſo. And ſo Here: He ſhall Ask, and he ſhall Give him Life. And though he ſay not He ſhall Ask for Him that ſinneth unto Death; Yet he doth not forbid him: but only ſaith, I ſay not, that he ſhould pray for ſuch. As Chriſt: I ſay not, that I will pray for you.

And when men, do not only, Trample Precious Pearls; but Turn, and burn, and Tear, thoſe, that bring them: As they fall out of Others Teachings; So they may do, Out of their Prayers alſo: that I ſay not, Out of Chriſts Interceſſion. Which is much, in the hearts of his People: and I wiſh, and beg, and Value This, for me, and mine; Above the World. And once a Father told me, You may Hope, or Know, that Others Pray for you; when you do Pray for them.

But we ſee, the Prophet Jeremy, praying, moſt ſweetly, Then, when he was forbidden to pray, For that People. And our Saviour had a Great Portion Given him, for pouring out his Soul for ſ…n, and making Interceſſion for Tranſgreſſors.

And the Great Command He ever received, from his Father, was, to Ask Souls of him. For, it was not only permitted, but Commanded: As the Great Character, by which he ſhould be Known, and Owned, to be the Son of God. And ſo it is, in us, alſo. For, when ever God begers a Son, he gives him a Crying, Praying Spirit. As if he ſaid, Thou art My Son: This day have I begotten Thee. N…w, Ask of Me, and I will Give thee. Even as Abraham bleſſed God, for Giving him one Great Victory by ſaying, Lord God, what wilt thou Give me?

However, it is very Clear, It was ſo required of Chriſt: and expected from him; As the S…n. So that here, we may Plead; he muſt, be More Faithful then Moſes; Who was Faithful indeed as a Servant; But Chriſt, As a S…n. And his Great Work, As a Son, was This: Ask of me, and I will Give Thee. And it was not only Commanded, but written in his heart; (as himſelf ſaith, in the 40 Pſalm) that he ſhould do the Will of God: and his Great Will, is, that he Ever be Asking Souls: and what he doth Once, in This, he doth ſtill, and for Ever. So that he is Ever Asking, and Ever Receiving, from his Father: and ever Giving Out: and p. 22This Laſt, he counts his Greateſt Happineſſe. For it is a More Bleſſed thing to Give, then to Receive.

And he very much diſappoints, his Fathers End, and Ayme, in Sending him, into the World; or Raiſing him up, from the Dead: If he be not, Very much, in Asking, of his Father. For it is the Only Command, he layeth on him, when he brought him forth, Aske of Me, and I will Give thee All Nations: and the Ʋtmoſt ends of the Earth.

And That of Solomon, Open thy Mouth for the Dumb, in behalf of All Appointed to Deſtruction; was but a little Branch of the Great Law of God, to Chriſt; Aske of Me, and I will Give thee. Moſt of All, for the poor Priſoners, and ſuch, as are Ready to Periſh.

And the Pſalme, for the Afflicted, telleth us, That God looked down, From Heaven, and the hight of his Sanctuary, to hear the Groaning of the Priſoners: and to Looſe thoſe, that are Appointed to Death. It being the Great Quarrel he had, with the King of Babylon: That he Smote in Anger, with a Perpetual Stroke; and made the Earth to Tremble: and did ſhake Kingdoms: and make the World a Wilderneſſe: and Then Opened not his Priſon doores, to Viſit his Priſoners, and let them go home again, As in Eſay 14. and 24. Now we All, were Priſoners; and Appointed to Dye: Till God Pleaſed to Raiſe up, the Interceding Spirit of Chriſt: which is Ever Crying, (in the Language of the Pſalmiſt) O Let the Sighing of the Priſoner come before thee; and by the Greatneſs of thy Name or Power, Preſerve them that are Appointed to Dye.

For Unto Chriſt, it was firſt ſaid, If thou ſhalt forbear to deliver them, that are drawn Ʋnto Death, and thoſe that are ready to be ſlain: If thou ſayeſt, Behold, we know it not, doth not he, that pondereth the Heart, Conſider it? And He, that Keepeth thy Soul; doth he not know it, and will he not render, unto Every Man, (the Beſt of Men) according to his works? which Solomon hath now laid, upon his Son; or on Every Man.

And what Chriſt doth, For All Appointed for Deſtruction, is not eaſy to determine. But we find him Praying for All that Crucified him. As Stephen did, To Him; and by His Spirit; for All that ſtoned him. Whence Paul might learn, the Certain Character, of a Chriſtian, ſo to pray to Chriſt: As Act. 9. 14. 21, and 22. 16, 17. Rom. 10. 12. 1. Cor 1. 2. And Solomon ſaith, that Wiſdom doth, and ſhall Call, to the Scorners, alſo. And the Man of God, muſt be Gentle: Even unto Thoſe that oppoſe themſelves! As Paul writeth to Timothy.

And our Saviour, Received, Gifts, for Rebels alſo; and ſaith, it is a more Bleſſed thing to Give, then to Receive; and that They, which Receive Freely, muſt Give Freely.

And if God be Glorified, moſt in Us, when we bring forth Moſt Fruit (and do All the Good, we can do:) Is it not So, in Chriſt alſo? will he not do, All the Good, he may do? Or will he not Aske, All he may? Will he not have, as much as he can? and the Full Price, of his Death, and bitter Paſſion? Dyed he, as a Fool dyeth.

Were His Hands bound? or his Heart rather? and his bowels, unto Poor men? or to his Father? or his Own Glory? that he would not Aske, for All he might? Seeing it was, the Firſt, and Chiefeſt, Only, thing, his Father laid upon him: Aske and I will Give thee. Yea and Aske again: and yet again: that ſo, Thy Joy, may be Full. And I never ſpeak, but What, the Father ſpoke to Me: and As, the Father, ſpoke to Mee. the Great Key, to open All the Bible.

p. 23And the Prophet was diſpleaſed, that the King of Iſrael ſhot but Thrice. And ſure, we may plead it with Chriſt; that he bids us, Pray Continually: and be Ever Asking, that we may receive. And it is backed, with This For: For, Every One that Asketh, ſhall Receive. And may we not ſay to him, Aske us of the Father, and he will Give us to thee. But Aske, as thou biddeſt us, Fervently, and Heartily. For thou haſt ſaid to us: What ever you do, Do it Heartily, As to the Lord.

And how he Asked; or his Father Took his Asking: We may See, by Gods Giving; and His Receiving; What was Promiſed, upon his Asking. Even All Nations, for his Inheritance; and the utmoſt ends of the Earth, for His Poſſeſſion.

Yea, and to ſuſtain, his Spirit, in his Dying Pangs, upon the Croſſe: in Pſal. 22. it is expreſly promiſed, that All the Ends of the World ſhall Remember and Turn unto the Lord: and All Kings, and Nations, ſhall worſhip before him. For he is the Bleſſing to all Nations; and to Every Family.

And in the 72 Pſalm, All Kings ſhall Fall before him, All Nations ſhall ſerve him, For (O the Mighty Fors, of the Bible!) For, he ſhall deliver the Needy, when he Cryeth: the Poor, and him that hath no Helper (Though he cannot Cry:) He ſhall Redeem their Souls from Deceit, and Violence.

And again, All Nations, ſhall come, and Glorifie Thy Name: For, It is Holy. And in many Places, His Holineſs, is the Great Cauſe, and Object, of All our Praiſing him: and yet, All ſhall Praiſe him, and his Holy Name. So that he, is bold, to Swear by himſelf, (which he would not do, If there had been a Greater then himſelf) That Every Knee ſhould how to Him: and yet, to the Glory of the Father. And if God be Glorified in Them: ſhall he not alſo Glorifie them with himſelf? Yea, he will ſtraitway Glorifie them. As himſelf Argueth.

And This, he maketh, the Great Foundation of his Calling All to him: becauſe the Father hath loved the Son, and bath given All things, into his hands, As Mat. 11. 27. Luke 10. 21. John 3. 35.

And again, in the 13. of John, Knowing that his Father had Given, All things, into his hands; he riſeth from Supper, and Girded himſelf. An Emblem of Power, and Freedom: as, when thou waſt Young, Thou diddeſt Gird thy ſelf.

And in his Great Prayer, he ſaith, As thou haſt Given him Power, Over All fleſh: that he ſhould Give Eternal Life to as many as Thou haſt Given him. And All thine are mine, and I om Glorified in them. And will not he Then, Glorifie them, with himſelf? Or where, is the force, of that Argument?

Nor doth he ſay, I will not Pray for the World: but, I do not; in That inſtant, or preſent time. And ſo he ſaith, I came not to Judge the World, but to ſave it: and yet, he did come, to Judge it alſo. And ſo, he ſaid, I ſay not, that I will Pray for you: and yet, he did, Pray for them. And ſo alſo, I pray not that thou take them out of the World: which yet, he would, and did deſire, in due ſeaſon; but not Then: At that preſent. And ſo, he did not Then, Pray for the World: but only for them, which God had Then, Actually Given him: and Choſen out of the World: and for them Only, at that preſent: and not Them, that ſhould Come After.

Yet, before the End, he doth alſo pray, for Others; whom at firſt, He did not Pray for. And how many might come, into the Latter End, of That Prayer, I know not. Or how many may come, to Believe on him; by Their Word.

p. 24But if he had, before, expreſly ſaid, I will not Pray for the World (which yet he doth not ſay: but only, I do not) Yet, he alſo ſaid, I will no more have Mercy on the Houſe of Iſrael; and yet it was but Conditional: or for ſuch a Time, or Seaſon, Only. For, in the ſame Chapter, it is ſaid (Even Unto Them, and There, Where it was ſaid, Loam…ni, and Lorubama:) I will yet have Mercy on you: and you ſhall be my People; and I will be your God. And in other places he ſaith, he will have Mercy, on the Whole Houſe of Iſrael: Though he had ſaid, I will not have Mercy on them: Or I will not declare it, for a Long or Ʋncertain Time. Which is often called Ever, or Never. As the ſervant ſhall ſerve for Ever: yet but Till the Jubilie: and Moth ſhall Never Enter: which another text limits, by 10. Generations: and Ruth was about the 10th from Lot: As Boaz from Abraham.

Or at moſt, I will not have, is but, I will not ſhew, Mercy on them. Or, I will ſo Chaſten, As if I meant to ſhew No Mercy. Thus Solomon bids a Father, Chaſten his Son, and not ſpare, or Pardon. And Eſay ſaith, Forgive them not: And He will not Forgive: or not Acquit the Guilty. Which is ſaid of Job; and of Gods Deareſt Children, ſeveral times, in Jeremy: with the very worſt phraſe, ever uſed, in the Law: which is the Root, or meaſure, To the Worſt, in all the Bible.

And Chriſt doth demean himſelf, To the World, As if, he did not, Pray for them. And yet he ſaith, God ſent him not to Condemn, but to ſave the World; And again, I came not to Judge the World, but to ſa…e the World. And ſo he is called The Saviour of the World: and That Lamb of God, that beareth away, the Sins of the World. And God was in Chriſt, Reconciling the VVorld to himſelf. And He often ſpeaketh, of Gods Loving the World alſo. As Moſes in his Bleſſing Iſrael, ſaith, God loved the Nations, or All Peoples alſo (as the words import, a Carrying in his Boſom:) but he hath a peculiar Choſen People, who ſit at his Feet, and receive, the Law, at his M…uth: And theſe, he Loveth, with Delight: and others with Pity.

And in That, very Prayer, alſo, Chriſt ſeemeth to Act, as at his Going to the Feaſt of Tabernacles; …ot Openly, but, as it were, Secretly. And ſo, he prayeth for the World alſo. That they may know God hath ſent him: and hath Loved His; as he Loved Him. And he Plainly ſaith, that To know God, and Chriſt, is Life Eternall. Which is yet promiſed to All: and All ſhall Know my Name.

And himſelf remembers it, written in the Prophets, You ſhall All be Taught of God. And All fleſh ſhall ſee the Glory of God. As it is in Eſay, with ſome of the Pſalms: but in others, Thus, All fleſh ſhall praiſe him: and All the Trees of the Forreſt ſhall Clap hands and rejoyce: and every Eye ſhall ſee his ſalvation. As alſo the Goſpel expreſſeth it. For our Salvation, is the Glory of God.

And he promiſed, to Convince the World of Sin, Righteouſneſs, and Judgment. And When I am lifted up, I will Draw All men, unto me. And he is gone up, Above all Heavens, To fill All things.

And when Paul received, his Commiſſion, to the Gentiles; It was to make, All men ſee: What is the fellowſhip of the Miſtery, which from the beginning of the VVorld, was hid in God: who Created All things by Jeſus Chriſt. That the Angels alſo, might know, by the Churches (and of ſeveral Forms; and Latitudes: and yet, by All, and manifold Churches, the Angels, muſt Vouchſafe to Learn) the manifold wiſdom of God. According to his Eternall purpoſe.

p. 25Which in 2. Epiſtles, he declareth to be: To gather together, in One; and to Reconcile; All things to himſelf; by Jeſus Chriſt.

Whom we preach, Warning Every Man, and teaching Every Man, in All Wiſdom. That we may preſent, Every man, Perfect, in Chriſt Jeſus. Whereunto alſo, I labour, ſtriving, according to his working, which worketh in me, mightily. For, I would you knew, what Great Agony, I have, For you, and for them of Laodicea, and for as many, as have not ſeen my face in the fleſh, that their Hearts, might be comforted, being knit together in Love.

And when King Agrippa ſaid, Thou doeſt almoſt perſwade me to be a Chriſtian; he replyed, I would to God, not only Thou, but All, that hear me this day, were both almoſt, and altogether ſuch as I am: except theſe bonds. And I could wiſh my ſelf Accurſed For my Brethren, and my Kinſmen, in the fleſh.

And to the Theſſalonians, he writeth thus, Now the Lord make you to increaſe, and abound in Love, to one another, and to All men, even as we do towards you. That ſo, he may eſtabliſh your hearts, Ʋnblameable, in Holineſs. As plainly ſhewing, Their hearts would not be eſtabliſhed, in Holineſs, Without Abundant Love to All Men. And, To Brotherly Kindneſs, Add Love.

And when he requireth Prayers For All Men; he plainly ſaith; This was Good, and Acceptable, unto God our Saviour. VVho would have All men, to be ſaved; and come to the Knowledg of the Truth. VVho gave himſelf, a Ranſome For All; to be Teſtified in Its Proper Seaſons. As the Words are.

For, as Peter expreſſeth it, He is not willing, that Any ſhould Periſh; but that All, ſhould come, to Repentance. And account, the Long ſuffering of God, to be Salvation: As our beloved Brother Paul hath written to you. As before.

Whence was All This Striving, and Longing, in Paul, or Any other, for the Salvation of All men? but from His Spirit, who promiſed, to Draw All men to him? and though we do not yet ſee it done: we may Remember, who alſo ſaid, we do not yet ſee, All things, Put under him: which yet muſt be.