This will better appear, if we confider thefe two Things, Firft, It was neceffary there fhould be a Mediator betwixt God and Man, and that because of the immenfe Glory and infinite. Purity of the Divine Majefty, which could not admit of any Addrefs, nor accept of any Service from a finful and guilty Creature, till firt it fhould be hallowed, and prefented

by one that was Pure and Holy; For fuch an High Heb. 7. Prieft became us, who is Holy, Harmless, Undefiled, 26. Separate from Sinners, and made higher than the Heavens.

And Secondly, As it was neceffary that there fhould be a Mediator betwixt God and Man, becaufe of the great Distance. betwixt the one and the other, to break down the Partition Wall, and reconcile both together: So it was very convenient that Jefus Chrift the Son of God fhould be this Mediator, forhowever the whole Trinity did immediately concur in this Myftery of the Incarnation, in framing and fanctifying his Body, which he had of the bleffed Virgin, yet was the fame terminated on the Son only, and infeparably united to him: The

Holy Ghost shall come upon thee (faid the Angel to her) Luke 1. and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : 3.5. Therefore alfo that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee,

hall be called the Son of God. For, Firft, (as one well obferves) Seing the bleffed Trinity was pleafed to have Satisfaction made for the Sins of Mankind, and by this Satisfaction to exhibite an exquifite Pattern of Juftice and Equity to be made by exquifite Obedience: And next, Since Man's Sin did efpecially confift in Rebellion, the Satisfaction was according to the Rule of Juftice and Equity, to be made by moft exquifite Obedience: Now the most exquifite Obedience that can be pe formed, is from a Son to his Father, or from a Servant to his Lord. Hence it pleafed the eternal Wisdom and Son of God, to take not the Nature of Man only, but the Form of a Servant (for a while) upon him, to make the most perfect and abundant Satisfaction by the moft exquifite Obedience; of which both the State of a Son and Condition of a Servant C

was

1 Tim. 2.5.

John 3.

J

was capable. Befides, who is fo fit to give us the Privilege to become the Sons of God by Adoption, as he who is Son of God by Nature, or to repair that Image of God, that Holiness and Righteoufnefs in our Souls (which Sin had fo greatly defaced) as he who is the exprefs Image of his Perfon. Therefore the Scriptures exprefly dehat as there is one God, for there is one Mediator betwixt God and Man, Chrift Jefus. Chrift fignifies Anointed, Jefus, a Saviour. As of old, Prophets, Kings Priefts and Kings were anointed, and by that material 19. 16. Unction confecrated to their Offices: So this Mediator Exod. betwixt God and Man, Chrift Jefus was anointed. 30. 30. not with the external Effufion of material Oil, which 2 Kings was only a fymbolical Rite, but with the real Infufion 9.3. and Sanctification of the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary Manner and Measure: For fo high an Imploy and Undertaking, being feparated from the Womb, when the Power of the Higheft did overfhadow and fanctifie his Conception, and then more folemnly and visibly at his Baptifm, when the Heavens were opened unto him, and the Spirit of God defcended like a Dove and came upon him. He was anointed as our Prophet, to reveal unto us the whole Counfel of God, in Order to our Salvation; not in Parables and dark Sayings, as they did of old, but plainly and familiarly, as a Man fpeaketh to his Friend whereof Mofes was a Type, when the Lord fpake to him Face to Face, and when he faid to the Children of Ifrael, 18. 18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren, like unto thee, and will put my Words in his Mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my Words which

24.

Mat. 3.

16.

Deut.

he ball peak in my Name, I will require it of him.. 1.61.1. Next, As our Prieft, to expiate the guilt of our Sins,

by that voluntary Sacrifice of his own Body upon the Crofs, by virtue whereof he appears continually in the Prefence

of

1

of God for us as our Advocate and Interceffor; and now as our King he is exalted on the Throne of Majefty, and all Power given him in Heaven and in Earth, that he may defend us againft all our Enemies, and difpenfe unto us the Divine Favour. The Scriptures, I fay, declare unto us very often, That he is our Advocate with the Father, and by him we have Access unto his Grace and Favour: And therefore we ufually pronounce the Bleffing in the Name of our Lord Jefus, faying, The Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, &c. to fhew that it is by his Grace and Interceffion that we are made partakers of the Love of God the Father, and of the Fellow fhip of the Holy Ghoft; I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no Man cometh to the Father but by me : Wherefore in all things it behooveth him to be made like unto his Brethren, that being touched with the feeling of our Infirmities, he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People.

Thus, God in his infinite Wisdom, Justice and Goodness was pleased to redeem us after this manner, by the Incarnation of his eternal Son, not only because the Remedy was fo fuitable for the Difeafe; as may appear from what hath been faid already, but likewife herein were manifefted the greatest Expreffions. of the Divine Love and Pity to Mankind: For in this was manifefted the Love of God towards us, because that God fent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him.

God manifefted his Love greatly to us in our Creation, when he made us and all things by the Word of his Power only but now much more in our Redemption, when he fpared not his own Son for our fakes, that he might oblige us with the ftrictest Bonds of Gratitude and Love.

O my Soul, admire and adore the Breadth and Length, ther Depth and Hight of God's Love, which paffeth all natural. Understanding, that God fhould feek unto us before we feek. unto him: This was preventing Mercy indeed, as it is written,

I am

I am found of them that fought me not : For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flefo, God fending his own Son in the likeness of finful Flefb, and for Sin condemned Sin in the Flefb, that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. Who would not Love thee, O King of Saints, and do any thing for thy fake, who hath done fo much for us Men, and for our Salvation.

Thus we have confidered who is he that was incarnate, namely Jefus Chrift the Son of God, Who is over all God, bleffed for ever, Amen; Whom therefore we fhould Believe, Worship and Obey. For God fo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life; For God fent not his Son into the World, to condemn the World, but that the World through him might be faved. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the World, be faith, And let all the Angels of God worship him.

II. Next, let us enquire when he was incarnate, it was in Time, and in the Fulnefs of Time, which was appointed by the Father, to free us from the Yoke of Mofaical Rites and Sacrifices, which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear. About the Return of the Year in the Reign of Auguftus Cefar, a peaceable Prince, and a peaceable Time, near Four thoufand Years after the Creation of the World, the Day-Spring from on High, the Prince of Peace was born, and by his Prefence brought Life and Immortality to Light; as when the Sun fprings from the Eaft with Rays of Light and Beauty about his Head, to vifit thefe dark Regions of Mortality, fo fprang the Sun of Righteoufnefs from the Womb of the bleffed Virgin, to give Light to them that fit in Darkness, and in the fhadow of Death, and to guide our Feet in the Way of Peace: It is not without a Myftery, that the Son of God chofe to be manifefted now in this Fulnefs of Time, rather than in former Times, that Man falling of himself, and then finding no Help

in himself, nor any Hope of Relief by all the Precepts of moral Philofophy, or the Wifdom of the World, but the longer he lay, the longer he languifhed, that he might know, That Salvation is only of the Lard, and befides him there is no Salvation, as it is written, Ó Ifrael thou hast deftroyed thy felf, but in me is thy Help.

Whom have I, O Lord, in Heaven but thee for my Saviour, and there is none upon Earth whom I defire befides thee; my, Flesh and my Heart faileth, but, O Lord, thou art the Strength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever.

Therefore the Meffias would not come fooner till Peoples Expectations fhould be fully ripe, nor tarry longer, left their Expectations fhould languifh; but in the Fulnefs of Time he was pleased to come with the Fulnefs of Grace, and the Fulnefs of Confolation, to make Reconciliation for Iniquity, and to bring in everlafting Righteoufnefs.

Now the Roman Arms were difplayed in the Holy City, and the Scepter was departed from Judah: Now the Number of Daniel's Weeks were accomplished, and the Baptift was come in the Spirit and Power of Elias: Now the Law was to yield to the Gofpel, and now all the bloody Sacrifices and daily Oblations were to expire, and to give Place to that on the Crofs.

Shortly in this Fulnefs of Time, all the Types under the Law were fulfilled, and all the Promifes made to the Fathers were fulfilled, and all the Prophecies that were before the Meffias, foretelling his Birth and Appearance in the World were fulfilled, and now exactly performed in his Perfon; therefore not only his Forerunner the Baptift, and afterwards his own Apostles. endeavoured by this Argument to convince the obftinate Jews, that Chrift or the Meffias was now come in this Fulnefs of in publick, when he began to preach, did fecond his Exhortation with the miraculous Exercife of his regal Power, and other Motives, proper to convince them that he was the Meffias, and his Kingdom

Time, but likewife himfelfin his firft AppFulnefs of