very Goodliness of it; yet it had been a Difparagement; if he hid come down as glorious as he once went up, and now fits at the right Hand of the Majefty on bigb; if he had been always in that refplendent Habit, he put on, in his Transfiguration; that had been yet an Abafement of his Majefty: But, to come in the Likeness of finful Flefb, though not a Sinner, yet in the Likenefs of a Sinner, so like, as touching his outward Appearance, that no Eye could difcern any Difference, compaffed about with all thefe Infirmities and Neceffities, which are the Followers and Attendants of Sin in, us; a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Griefs; a Man who all his Life-time had intimate Acquaintance, and Familiarity with Grief; Grief and he were long Acquaintance and never parted, till Death parted them: Nay, not only was he, in his outward Eftate, fubject to all thefe Miferies and Infirmities, unto which Sin fubjects other Men, but was fomething beyond all, bis Vifage more marr'd than any Man's, and his Form more than the Sons of Men, Ifa. lii. 14. and therefore, he was a Hiling and Aftonifoment to many; be had no Form, nor Comeliness in bim, and no Beauty to make bim defirable: And therefore, bis own Friends were afbamed of bim, and bid their Faces from bim; be was defpifed and rejected of Men, Ifa. liii 2, 3. Thus you fee, he comes in the moft defpicable and difgraceful Form of Flesh that can be; and an Abject a mong Men; and as himfelf speaks, in Pfal. xxii. 6. a Worm, and not a Man, a Reproach of Men, and defpifed among the People: "Now, this, I fay, is the Crowning of the great Mystery of Godlinefs, which, without all Controverfy, is the Mystery in all the World, that hath in it moft Greatness and Goodness com bined together, that is the Subject of the higheft Admiration,and the Fountain of the fweetest Confolation, that either Reafon or Religion can afford., The Myfteries of the Trinity are fo high, that if any dares to reach at them, he doth but catch the lower Fall; it is, as if a Worm would attempt to touch the Sun in the. Firmament. But this Myftery is God" coming down to Man, to be handled and feen of Men, becaufe Man could not rife up to God's Highness; it is God defcending to our Bafenefs, and fo coming near us, to fave us. It is not a confounding, but a faving Myftery; there is the higheft Truth in it, for the Understanding to contemplate and admire, and there is. the greatest Good in it, for the Will to choose and reft upon. "Tis contrived for Wonder and Delight, to Men and Angels; thefe three, which the Angelick Song runs upon, are Jewels of it, Glory to God, Peace on Earth, and Good-will towards Men. SER SERMO N XII. Verf. 3. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the Flesh, God fending his own Son, &c. OF F all the Works of God towards Man, certainly there is none hath fo much Wonder in it, as the fending of his Son, to become Man, and fo it requires the exacteft Attention in us: Let us gather our Spirits to confider of this My ftery; not to pry into the Secrets of it curioufly, as if we had no more to do, but to fatisfy our Understandings; but rather that we may fee what this concerns us, and what Inftruction or Advantage we may have by it, that fo it may ravish our Affections. I believe, there is very palpable and grofs Ignorance in Thousands of the very Thing it felf: Many who profels Jefus Chrift, know not his Natures, or his glorious Perfon, do not apprehend either his Highness as God.or his Lownels as Man. But truly, the Thing that I do moft admire, is, that thefe who pretend to more Knowledge of this Myftery, yet few of them do enter upon any ferious Confideration about it, for what Ufe and Purpose it is, though it be the Foundation of our Salvation, the chief Ground of our Faith, and the great Spring of our Confolation: Yet to improve the Knowledge of it to any Purpose of that Kind, is a Thing fo rare, even among true Chriftians, that it is little the Subject of their Méditation. I think indeed, the lively Improvement of this Myftery of Godliness, would be very effectual to make us really what we are faid to be, that is, Chriftians. There is fomething to this Purpose, 1 Job. iv. 2, 3, 15. and v. 1. The confeffing and knowing that Jefus Christ is come in the Flesh, and is the Son of God, before his taking on Flesh, is made a Character of a spiritual Man that dwelleth in God. Not that a bare external Confeffion, or internal Opinion and Af fent to fuch a Truth, is of fo much Value, which yet is the Height that many attain unto, but it is fuch a Soul-acknowledgment, fuch an Heart-approbation of this Myftery,as draws along the Admiration. and Affection after it, as fixeth the Heart upon this Object alone, for Life and Salvation. The Devils confeffed and be lieved, but they trembled at it, Luke iv. 34, 41. He was afraid of what he knew, but Peter confeffed and loved what he knew; yea, he did caft his Soul upon that Lord whom he confeffed. It is fuch an Acknowledgment of Chrift, as draweth the Soul, and unites it to him, by a ferious and living Imbracement; fuch. a Sight of Jefus Chrift, hath both Truth and Goodnefs in it, in the higheft Meafure; and fo doth not only conftrain the.. Aftent of the Mind, but is a powerful Attractive to the Heart, to come. to him, and live in him. I pray you con fider then what Moment is in this Truth, no Ransom could be found by Man, he that you may indeed apply your Souls finds it out, how to fatisfy his own Justice, to the Confideration of what is in Jefus and fave us. Truly, this is the most Chrift thus revealed, not fimply to know fhining Jewel in the Crown of God's it, but for a further Improvement of it, to Glory, fo much Mercy towards so miseek life in Him, that the Stamp and Im-ferable Sinners, so much Grace towards preffion of this Saviour may be fet fo deep- the Rebellious. If he had pardoned Sin, ly on your Souls, as that you may ex-without any Satisfaction, what rich Grace prefs this in a real Confeffion of him in had it been? But truly, to provide the your Words and Works, Tit. i. 16. Lamb and Sacrifice himself, to find out Matth. vii. 21. This is indeed to know the Ransom, and to exact it of his own and confefs that Jefus Chrift is come in Son, in our Name, is a Teftimony of the Flesh, to fetch thence the Ground of Mercy and Grace, far beyond that. all our Hope and Confolation, and to But then, his Juftice is very confpicuous draw thence the most powerful Motives in this Work; and indeed these two, do to walking, even as be walked, to im- illuftrate one another, the Justice of God, prove it for Confidence in him, and Obe- in taking and exacting the Punishment of dience to him. Sin, upon his own well beloved Son, doth moft eminently heighten the Mercy and Grace of God towards us; and his Grace and Mercy in paffing by us, doth most marvellously illuftrate the Righteousness of God, in making his own Son a Curfe for us. What Teftimony can be given in the World, of God's Displeasure at Sin, of his Righteousness in punishing Sin, like this? There was no fuch Teftimony of Love to Sinners, and no fuch Demonftration of Hatred at Sin imaginable. That he did not punish Sin in us, but transfers it over on the most beloved Son, O what Love and Grace; and that he did punifa his own Son, when ftanding in the Place of Sinners,O what Righteousness and Justice. This is that glorious Myftery, the Conjunction of thefe two refplendent Jewels, Justice and Mercy, of Love and Dif pleasure, in one Chain of Chrift's Incarnation, into which the Angels defire to look, Pet. i. 12. And truly they do wonder at it, and praife from Wonder. This is it, that the Praises of Men and Angels fhall roll about eternally. David, Pfal. ciii. 19. forefeeing this Day, fore I shall speak then a Word of these two great Ends and Purposes, of God's fending his own Son, in the Likeness of finful Flefb, his own Glory, and Mans Good. The Song of Angels at his Birth fhews this, Glory to God in the Higbeft, Peace on Earth, and Good-will towards Man. His Glory is manifefted in it, in an eminent Manner, the Glory of his Wisdom, that found out a Remedy. What a deep Contrivance was it? How infinitely beyond all Creature-inventions? Truly there are Riches of Wisdom,Depths of Wisdom in it. I think it could never have entred in the Thought of Menor Angels: All Men once to be drowned under a Deluge of Sin and Mifery, and made fubject to God's righteous Judgment, and then to find out a Way how to deliver and fave fo many; all the Wisdom that fhines in the Order and Beauty of the World, feems to be but a rude Draught to this. Then, herein doth the Glory of his Mercy and Grace shine moft brightly, that he transfers the Punishment due to Man's Sin, upon his own Son, that when told told it, that Angels should praise Him, and now 'tis fulfiled, when all thefe glorious Companies of holy, powerful SpiFits, welcome the Son of God into the World, by that heavenly Harmony of Praife, Luke ii. 14. believing, and to abase our felves, to bę lieve in him, and walk humbly with him, upon the Meditation of Chrift's coming in the Flesh, this would make us true Christians indeed. There is nothing I know, more powerful to perfwade us of the Reality of God's Invitations and Promises to us, than this. We are ftill feeking Signs and Tokens of God's Love, fomething to warrand us to come to God in Chrift, and to per wade that we shall be welcome; and many Chriftians puddle themfelves in the What Lumpishness and Earthlinefs is in us, that we do not rise up above, to this Melody in our Spirits, to join with Angels in this Song; we, I fay, whom it muft concerns. The Angels wonder; and praises and wonders at this, because the Glory of God fhines fo brightly in it, as if there were many Suns in one Firma-Mire of their own Darkness and Dif ment, as the Light of Seven Days in one. couragement, because they cannot find any These three especially, Wisdom, Mercy, Thing in themselves, that can give but the and Grace, Juftice and Righteoufnefs, leaft probable Conjecture, that he will every one of them look like the Sun in its admit and welcome them to come to Strength, caried about in this Orb of the him, or that fuch precious Promifes, and Redemption of Man, to the ravishing of fweet Invitations, can belong to fuch Sinthe Hearts of all the honourable and glori-ners, as they conceive themselves to be.. ous Compaines above, and making them chearfully and willingly to contribute all their Service to this Work, to be mini Aring Spirits, to wait on the Heirs of Salvation. Truly, my Beloved, I think, while we exercife ourselves thus, we are feeking the Sun with a Candle, making that which is in itself as bright as the Light to be more dark. The Evidence of God's Reality, in offering Life to you in Chrift, and his Willingness to receive you, it is not without the Compass of his Invitation,and yet you feek it where it is leaft to be Now when the Glory of the Higheft, raifeth up fuch a melodious Song above, among Angels, O what fhould both the Glory of the highest God, and the higheft Good of Man do to us! When the great-found, that is, in your felves: But indeed, eft Glory of God, and the chiefeft Advantage of Man are linked together in this Chain, what should we do but admire and adore, adore and admire, and while we are in this Earth, send up our Confent to that Harmony in Heaven? In Relation to our Good, much might be faid, but we shall briefly fhew unto you, that it is the greatest Confirmation of our Faith, and the ftrongeft Mo to Humlility, that can be afforded. Now if we could be compofed thus unto Confidence and Reverence, to glorify him by his Invitations in the Gofpel, carry the Evidence in their Bofom, that which is above all other Signs and Evidences, that he did even fend his own Son in the Flesh for this Purpofe; is there any Thing be fides this, either greater, or clearer ? I think we are like thefe, who, when they had feen many Signs and Wonders done: by Christ, which did bear Teftimony to all the World of his Divine Nature, yet they would not be fatisfied, but sought out another Sign, tempting bim, Mat. xvi. 1. And truly, he might return this Answer. Answer to us, O wicked and adulterous | thee, but that which is darker than the for 7 mer, that which thou shalt understand lefs; thou may get what thou feeks, perhaps fome more Satisfaction in thy own Condition, but it shall plung thee more in the Iffue; thou shall always be unsettled and unconftant as Water, thou shalt not excell. I confefs indeed, if we speak of the Manifeftation of One's particular Intereft in these Promises, and of an Evi ticular, then there must needs be fomething wrought by the Holy Spirit, on thy Soul, to draw down the general Teftimony of God's Love to Mankind, into a particular Application to thy felf. But, that I do not speak of now, because that is the Sealing of the Spirit after believing; and because you are always unfettled in the first, and main Point, of flying unto the Son, and waiting on him for Life, therefore have you fo much Inevidence and Weaknefs in that which follows.. That which I now speak of, is, that if this were cor Generation, that feéketh after a Sign, there fball no Sign be given to thee, but the Sign of the Prophet Jonas. The greatest Testimony that can be imagined, is given already, that the Father should fend his only begotten and well beloved Son, into this State of a Servant, for Man: If this do not fatisfy, I know not what will. I fee not how any Work of his Spirit in us, can make fo much Evidence of the Love of God to thee, in pardence of his Reality, and Faithfulness in the Gospel, and of his Willingness to wel come Sinners. All the Works of the -Creation, all the Works of Grace, are no thing to this, to manifeft his Love to Men; and therefore there is a fingular Note upon it, God fo loved the World, that be fent bis Son, Joh. iii. 16. and in this was Love manifefted, that be gave bis Son, 1 Joh. iv. 9. If Men and Angels had fet themselves to devife and find out a Pledge or Confirmation of the Love of God, they would have fallen upon fome Revelation unto, ordially believed, and feriously confidered, fome Operation upon their Spirits; but that God fent his own Son in the Flefb, alas, this is infinitely above that, his own to fave Sinners, you could not readily exprefs Image, and the Brightness of have any Doubt, but that you coming to bis Glory, is come down to bear Wit him for Salvation, would be weclome, you nefs of his Love: nay, he who is equal could not fay, that fuch precious Invita with himself in Glory, is given as a Gift tions could not belong to Sinners, or that to Men, and is not he infinitely more than he could not love the like of you. Truly, created Gifts, or Graces, who is the very I think, if the general were laid to Heart, Spring and Fountain of them all? God that God hath fo loved Mankind, that he fo loved the World, that truly he gave no gave fuch a Gift unto them, there is none fuch Gift befides, to teftify fuch a Love could make any more Question of his ReTherefore, when all that he hath done in ality, when that Gift is tendered to any "this Kind, cannot fatisfy thy fcrupulous in particular. Nay, I think it is the Mind, but thou wilt ftill go on, to feek Inconfideration of this general Evidence more Confirmation of his Readiness to and Manifestation of Love to the World, receive thee, I think it is a tempting ofhat makes you fo perplexed in Particulars. the Holy One, which may draw fuch an Anfwer from him, O, wicked and adulter ous Perfon, there shall no Sign be given Could you have fo much Difficulty to be lieve his Love to you, if you indeed believe that he hath loved the World, that |