Of the Father's Grace.

First, How we are saved by the grace of the Father. Now this I will open to you thus:

1. The Father by his grace hath bound up them that shall go to heaven in an eternal decree of election, and here, indeed, is the beginning of our salvation; 2 Tim. i. 9. and election is reckoned not the Son's act, but the Father's: "Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world." Eph. i. 4. Now this election is counted an act of grace: "So then, at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace." Rom. xi. 5.

2. The Father's grace ordaineth and giveth the Son to undertake for us our redemption. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world," In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness to usward, through Christ Jesus. John iii. 16. vi. 32, 33. xii. 47.

3. The Father's grace giveth us to Christ, to be justified by his righteousness, washed in his blood, and saved by his life. This Christ mentioneth, John vi. 37. and tells us, it is his Father's will that they should be safe-coming at the last day, and that he had kept them all the days of his life, and they shall never perish. John vi. 38, 39. xvii. 2, 12.

4. The Father's grace giveth the kingdom of heaven to those that he hath given to Jesus Christ; "Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke xii.

32.

5. The Father's grace provideth and layeth up in Christ, for those that he hath chosen, a sufficiency of all spiritual blessings, to be communicated to them at their need, for their preservation in the faith, and faithful perseverance through this life: "Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." 2 Tim. i. 9. Eph. i. 3, 4.

Of the Grace of the Son.

I come now to speak of the grace of the Son; for as the Father putteth forth his grace in the saving of the sinner, so doth the Son put forth his. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made rich. 2 Cor. viii. 9.

Here you see also, that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is brought in as a partner with the grace of his Father, in the salvation of our souls. Now this is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; he was rich, but for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.

To enquire then into this grace, this condescending grace of Christ, and that by searching out how rich Jesus Christ was, and then how poor he made himself, that we through his poverty might have the riches of salvation:

First, How rich was Jesus Christ?

To which I answer, First, generally; Secondly, particularly. First, generally. He was rich as the Father: All things that the Father hath are mine. Jesus Christ is Lord of all; God over all, blessed for ever. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God, being naturally and eternally God, as the Father; John xvi. 15. Acts x. 36. Phil. ii. 6. Rom. ix. 4, 5. John x. 30. but of his Godhead he could not strip himself.

Secondly, Jesus Christ had glory with the Father, yea, a manifold glory with him,, which he stript himself of.

First, He had the glory of dominion; he was Lord of all the creatures they were under him upon a double account.

1. As he was their Creator, Col. i. 16.

2. As he was made the heir of God, Heb. i. 2.

Secondly, Therefore the glory of worship, reverence and fear, from all creatures was due unto him; the obedience, subjection and service of angels was due unto him; the fear, honour, and glory of kings, and princes, and judges of the earth, was due unto him; the obe dience of the sun, moon, stars, clouds and all vapours was due unto him; all dragons, deeps, fire, hail, snow, mountains and bills, beasts,

cattle, creeping things, and flying fowls; the service of them all, and their worship was due unto him. Psal. cxlviii.

Thirdly, The glory of the heavens themselves was due unto him; in a word, heaven and earth was his.

Fourthly, But above all, the glory of communion with his Father was his; I say, the glory of that unspeakable communion that he had with the Father before his incarnation, which alone was worth ten thousand worlds, that was ever bis.

But again, As Jesus Christ was possessed with this, so besides he was Lord of Life. This glory also was Jesus Christ's. In him was life; therefore he is called the Prince of it; because it was in him originally, as in the Father, Acts iii. 15. He gave to all life and breath and all things; angels, men, beasts, they all had their life

from him.

Again, as he was Lord of Glory, and Prince of Life, so he was also Prince of Peace; Isa. ix. 6. and by him was maintained that harmony and goodly order which was among things in heaven, and things on earth.

Take things briefly in these few particulars:

1. The heavens were his, and he made them. 2. Angels were his, and he made them.

3. The earth was his, and he made it. 4. Man was his, and he made him.

Now this heaven he forsook for our sakes, he came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. i. xv.

He was made lower than the angels for the suffering of death.

Heb. ii. 9.

When he was born, he made himself, as he saith, a worm, or one of no reputation, he became the reproach and byword of the people, he was born in a stable, laid in a manger, earned his bread by his labour, being by trade a carpenter, Psal. xxii. 6. Philip. ii. 7. Mark vi. 3. When he betook himself to his ministry, he lived upon the charity of the people; when other men went to their own houses, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Hear what himself saith for the clearing of this! "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not whereon to lay his head."

But perhaps some may say, What need was there that Jesus Christ should do all this? Could not the grace of the Father save us without this condescension of the Son?

Ans. As there is grace, so there is justice in God: And man having sinned, God concluded to save him in a way of righteousness; therefore it was absolutely necessary, that Jesus Christ should put himself into our very condition, sin only excepted.

Now by sin we had lost the glory of God, therefore Jesus Christ lays aside the glory that he had with the Father. Rom. iii. 23. John xvii. 5.

Man by sin had shut himself out of an earthly paradise, and Jesus Christ will leave his heavenly paradise to save him. Gen. iii. 24. 1 Tim. i. 15. John vi. 38, 39.

Man by sin had made himself lighter than vanity, and this Lord God, Jesus Christ, made himself lower than the angels, to redeem him. Isa. xl. 17. Heb. ii. 7.

Man by sin lost his right to the creatures, and Jesus Christ will deny himself of a whole world to save him. Luke ix. 58.

Man by sin had made himself subject to death, but Jesus Christ will lose his life to save him. Rom. vi, 23.

Man by sin had procured to himself the curse of God, but Jesus Christ will bear that curse in his own body to save him. Gal. iii, 13.

Man by sin had lost peace with God, but this would Jesus Christ lose also, to the end man might be saved.

Man should have been mocked of God, therefore Christ was mocked of men.

Man should have been scourged in hell, but to hinder that Jesus was scourged on earth.

Man should have been crowned with ignominy and shame, but to prevent that Jesus was crowned with thorns.

Man should have been pierced with the spear of God's wrath, but to prevent that Jesus was pierced both by God and man.

Man should have been rejected of God and angels, but to prevent that Jesus was forsaken of God, and denied, hated, and rejected of

men.

I might thus enlarge, and that by authority from this text, "He

became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.” All the riches he stript himself of, it was for our sakes; all the sorrows be underwent, it was for our sakes; to the least circumstance of the sufferings of Christ, there was a necessity that so it should be; all was for our sakes: For our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich."

And you see the argument that prevailed with Christ to do this great service for man-the grace that was in his heart; as also the prophet saith, "In his love and in his pity he redeemed them;" according to this in the Corinthians, "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ;" both which agree with the text, "By grace ye are saved."

I say, this was the grace of the Son, and the exercise thereof; the Father therefore shows his grace one way, and the Son his another: 'Twas not the Father, but the Son, that spilt his blood for sinners. The Father, indeed, gave the Son, and blessed be the Father for that; and the Son gave his life and blood for us, and blessed be the Son for that.

Of the Grace of the Spirit.

I come now to speak of the grace of the Spirit, for he also saveth us by his grace. The Spirit, I told you, is God, as the Father and the Son, and is therefore also the Author of grace; yea, and it is absolutely necessary that he put forth his grace also, or else no' flesh can be saved. The Spirit of God hath his hand in saving of us many ways; for they that go to heaven, as they must be beholding to the Father and the Son, so also to the Spirit of God. The Father chooseth us, giveth us to Christ, and heaven to us, and the like. The Son fulfils the Law for us, takes the curse of the Law from us, bears in his own body our sorrows, and sets us justified in the sight of God. The Father's grace is showed in heaven and earth; the Son's grace is showed on the earth, and on the cross; and the Spirit's grace must be showed in our souls and bodies, befere we come to heaven.

But some may say, Wherein doth the saving grace of the Spirit appear?

Answ. In many things.