it, in quo prceoccupabo Dominum ? Conscience sees God arming himself with wrath, to avenge himself for sin ; cries out, Oh, how shall I prevent him; if he would accept the fruit of m\ ho- dy, (those dear pledges of nature,) for the sin of my soul, he should have them. But now we see God coming down in flesh, and so intimately united our flesh to himself, that it hath no pro- per subsistence of its own, but is united with the divine person : hence it is easy to imagine what worth and value must be in that blood ; and how eternal love, springing forth triumjmantly from it, flourishes into pardon, grace, and peace* Here is a way in which the sinner may see justice and mercy kissing each other, and the latter exercised freely, without prejudice to the former. All other consciences, through the world, lie either in a deep sleep in the devil's arms* or else are rolling (sea sick) upon the waves of their own fears and dismal presages. Oh, happy are they that have dropped anchor on this ground, and not only know they have peace, but why they have it !
Use 5. Of how great concernment is it, that Christ should have anion with our particular persons, as well as with our common na- ture ? For by this union with our nature alone, never any man was, or can be saved. Yea, let me add, that this union with our natures, is utterly in vain to you, and will do you no good, except he have union with your persons by faith also. It is indeed infinite mercy, that God is come so near you, as to dwell in your flesh ; and that he hath fixed upon such an excellent method to save poor sinners. And hath he done all this ? is he indeed come home, even to your own doors, to seek peace ? doth he vail his unsup- portable glory under flesh, that he might treat the more familiar- ly ? and yet do you refuse him* and shut your hearts against him ? then hear one word, and let thine ears tingle at the sound of it : Thy sin is hereby aggravated beyond the sin of devils, who never sinned against a mediator in their own nature ; who never despised, or refused, because indeed, they were never offered terms of mercy, as you are.
And I doubt not but the devils themselves, who now tempt you to reject, will, to all eternity, upbraid your folly for rejecting this great salvation, which in this excellent way is brought down, even to your own doors.
Use 6. If Jesus Christ has assumed our nature, then he is sensibly touched with the infirmities that attend it, and so hath pity and compassion for us, under all our burdens. And indeed this was one end of his assuming it, that he might be able to have compassion on us, as you read, Heb. ii. 17, 18. "Wherefore in all things it be- " hoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be * a merciful and faithful High-priest, in things pertaining to God,,
84) THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. V.
" to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he " himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them " that are tempted." O what a comfort is this to us, that he who is our High-Priest in heaven, hath our nature on him, to enable him to take compassion on us !
Use 7. Hence we see, to what a height God intends to build up the happiness of man, in that he hath laid the foundation thereof so deep, in the incarnation of his own Son.
They that intend to build high, use to lay the foundation low. The happiness and glory of our bodies, as well as souls, are found- ed in Christ's taking our flesh upon him : for, therein, as in a .model or pattern, God intended to shew what in time he resolves to make of our bodies ; for he will ft^aay^an^m, transform our vile bodies, and make them one day conformable to the glorious body of Jesus Christ, Phil. hi. 81. This flesh was therefore as- sumed by Christ, that in it might be shewn, as in a pattern, how God intends to honour and exalt it. And indeed, a greater ho- nour cannot be done to the nature of man, than what is already done, by this grace of union ; nor are our persons capable of higher glory, than what consists in their conformity to this glorious head. Indeed the flesh of Christ will ever have a distinct glory from ours in heaven, by reason of this union ; for being the body which the Word assumed, it is two ways advanced singularly above the flesh and blood of all other men, viz. subjectively, and objectively : Subjectively, it is the flesh and blood of God, Acts xx. 28. and so hath a distinct and incommunicable glory of its own. And objectively, it is the flesh and blood which all the angels and saints adore. But though in these things it be superemi- nently exalted, yet it is both the medium and pattern of all that glory which God designs to raise us to.
Use 8. Lastly, How wonderful a comfort is it, that he who dwells in our flesh is God ? What joy may not a poor believer make out of this ? what comfort one made out of it> I will give you in his own words, " t see it a work of God, (saith he) that experiences are " all lost, when summonses of improbation3 to prove our charters <c of Christ to be counterfeit, are raised against poor souls in their " heavy trials. But let me be a sinner, and worse than the chief " of sinners, yea, a guilty devil, I am sure my well-beloved is " God, and my Christ is God. And when I say my Christ is a God, I have said all things, I can say no more. I would I " could build as much on this, My Christ is God, as it would bear : " I might lay all the world upon it"
God and man in one person ! Oh ! thrice happy conjunction ! As man, he is full of experimental sense of our infirmities, wants, and burdens ; and, as God, he can support and supply them all.
THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, SS
The aspect of faith upon this wonderful Person, how relieving, how reviving, how abundantly satisfying is it ? God will never divorce the believing soul, and its comfort, after he hath married our na- ture to his own Son, by the hypostatical, and our persons also, by the blessed mystical union.
Of the Authority by which Chiiist, as Mediator, acted.
For him hath God the Father sealed.
X OU have heard Christ's compact, or agreement with the Fa- ther, in the covenant of redemption ; as also what the Father did* in pursuance of the ends thereof, in giving his Son out of his bo- som, SfC. also what the Son hath done towards it, in assuming flesh. But though the glorious work be thus far advanced, yet all he should act in that assumed body, had been invalid and vain, with- out a due callj and commission from the Father so to do : which is the import of the words now before you.