at the first began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him? Heb. ii. 1, 2, 3. This being the laft Meffage which God had refolv'd to fend to Mankind, a Perfon of the greatest Dignity and Authority was to bring it: But last of all, he fent unto them his Son, faying, they will reverence my Son, Matth. xxi. 37. It is the last expedient, and the very utmost that could be done to reduce Sinners to Obedience; and if this will have no effect upon them, they must be left without all excufe. This is the heaviest aggravation of Sin, and that which renders Men utterly inexcufable; he was in the World, and the World was made by him, and the World knew him not.: He came unto his own, and his own received him not, John i. 10, 11. If the only begotten Son of God had not come and manifefted himself in fo wonderful a manner to the World, fomething of a Plea might have been pretended; but, to reject the Son of God, was an evident despight done to the Father, and even ha ting of the Father who had fent him, as our Saviour declares, John xv. 22, 23, 24. And the blafpheming of the Holy Ghoft, in those who vilified the Miracles of Chrift, and afcribed them to Beelzebub, was therefore without Forgiveness, because it was a rejecting of Christ, not as the Son of Man, but as God blessed for ever; and a defpifing and vilifying that which is the last means that can be used to reclaim the World; and that means whereby he manifested himself to be the Son of God. To reject Chrift, was to reject the whole Trinity, which was jointly concern'd in this wonderful Difpenfation.

The Dignity of Chrift's Perfon adds all the force and efficacy to his Doctrine that is poffible; and therefore it was requifite, that the Son of God should become incarnate. God had before spoken from Hea ven, but that was too terrible and full of Majefty to be born by Mortals; and they that heard the Voice, entreated that the Word fhould not be spoken to them any

more:

more: for they could not endure that which was commanded; and fo terrible was the fight, that Mofes faid, I exceedingly fear and quake, Heb. xii. 19, 20, 21. But now God was pleas'd to converse with Man in a more familiar and humble manner; and our Blessed Saviour came to live amongst Men with all the gentleness and meekness of the Humane Nature, and all the Authority of the Divine. For in him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colof. ii. 9. The Godhead dwelt here in him under our Humane Nature, laying afide that awful Majefty, which no Man can approach

unto.

II. We have a greater Example of all Perfection and Holinefs fet before us by the Son of God Incarnate, than we could otherwise have had. It has been the general complaint made of other Teachers and Lawgivers, that they feldom obferve their own Rules or live themselves according to what they require of others. But our Saviour has given us an Example, if it be poffible, even beyond his own Doctrine. For tho' he be no rigorous Lawgiver, but a most indulgent and gracious Master to us, yet he was pleas'd to excufe himself from no Duty or Inftance of Obedience, but fulfilled both the Moral and the Ceremonial Law: there is nothing fo mean, nor fo difficult and painful, but he perform'd it, to fet us an absolute Pattern of Obedience to the Whole Duty of Man, in all that ever God requir'd of Mankind. It became him to fulfil all Righteousness; this was the end and intention of his coming into the World, and he fulfilled it in the most abfolute and perfect manner, in all particulars. And to give fuch an Example, is of unfpeakable use and benefit: for Men are more easily led by Example than by Precept; and it is commonly obferv'd, that it is Example, for the most part, which governs the World. Men will follow the Vices of those whose Vertues they never imitate; and the Faults of Wife and Great Men have too fure and too

fatal

fatal an effect upon fuch, as their Excellencies never reach.

It was neceffary, that an Example of abfolute Perfection fhould be given to the World, and this Example must be given by one of the fame nature with our felves, or else it might have been an Example for Angels and Spirits, but not for Men; and therefore fuch an Example the Son of God Incarnate only could give, because it was impoffible for any created Being under all the Infirmities and Temptations incident to Humane Nature to live up to fuch a Divine Height and Excellency of all Perfection as our Saviour did, and to leave fuch an Example to the World.

He came not to teach us the Wisdom of this World, how to get Riches and Honours; in this Mankind was well enough inftructed before, and it could not but be unworthy of the Son of God to be born into the World with a defign to enjoy the Pleasures and the Profits, and the Honours of it; this was beneath the Majesty of Heaven, and the Infinite Perfection and Effential Bliss and Happiness of the Divine Nature. But to manifeft himself, to fhew the mean and worthlefs Vanity of those things, of which Men are fo fond; to give an Example of Contentment in a low Condition, of Victory under Temptations, and of Patience and Meeknefs under the feverest Afflictions and Torments; to discover to Men the way to Happiness in the worst Circumstances of this World, to teach those who enjoy this World's Goods, not to be proud of them, nor despise others; and those who want them, to be contented and happy without them; to lead Men in the way to Happiness thro' all Conditions, thro' all the Miferies and Calamities which must befal many of us in this mortal ftate; this is a Glorious and Godlike Design, it is fuch as none but the Son of God could perform, and fuch as we may in reafon believe he would undertake; and for which he might vouchsafe to live a humane Life upon Earth.

III. The Mediation and Interceffion of Christ for us, is of greater power and efficacy than any could have been, if the Son of God had not become Man to die for our fakes. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Chrift Jefus, 1 Tim. ii. 5. He was to be Man as well as God, that coming with Divine Power and Authority, and yet with the Affability and Acceffibleness of a Man, he might in all refpects be fully qualified to perform the Office of a Mediator between God and Man.' If he had not been God, he could not have come with abfolute Authority to offer us terms of Reconciliation; and unlefs he had been Man, he could not have treated with Men in fo familiar and condefcending a way upon these terms.

And the Right and Authority of Chrift's Mediation and Interceffion in behalf of Sinners, is founded upon his Merits and Satisfaction for the Sins of Men; and this fuppofes him to be both God, and Man; Man, that he might fuffer and die for us; and God, that his Divine Nature might give an infinite value to his Death and Sufferings, and render them fatisfa&tory for the Sins of the World. Tho' it should be fuppofed (which can never be proved) that God in his mercy might have pardoned Sinners without the fatisfaction of Chrift; yet if in mercy he might have forgiven, he might in justice have punish'd them, unJefs fatisfaction had been made; and nothing could have made fatisfaction to his Juftice, but the Sufferings of his Son: Becaufe, as the Obedience and Sufferings of no Creature could be fuppofed, for his Worth and Excellency, to be equivalent to the Obedience and Sufferings of all Mankind; fo not only the Performance of his Obedience, and the Patience under his Sufferings, but the Innocence and Perseverance in Righteoufnefs of every Creature, must be afcribed to the Grace and Goodness of God, not to any Power of his own to sustain himself; fo far would

the

the most perfect and excellent Creature be from meriting for others. And because the Obedience and Sufferings of no created Being, could have been of that value as to make fatisfaction for the Sins of Mankind; therefore no Creature could have redeemed Man, or have become Mediator for him upon the terms of his own Merits in Man's behalf, fo as to plead the price of Redemption laid down for him. God may grant the Requests of Angels and Men, out of his free Mercy and Bounty, but there can be no neceffary force and efficacy in Interceffions, where there is no precedent merit and fatisfaction on the part of the Interceffor. But Chrift pleads his Merits on our account, and mediates our Caufe with his Father upon the terms of ftrict Juftice, and by virtue of the Ranfom of his own Blood; and is fo powerful an Interceffor for us, that not only the Mercy and Goodness, but even the Juftice of God cannot deny his Interceffion. It was the free Grace of God to fend his Son to fuffer in our ftead; but fince he was pleas'd to admit of this Commutation of the Punishment which we had deferv'd, and to transfer it upon his own Son; his Death was a full, perfect, and fufficient Sacrifice, Oblation and Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World; which the Death of no Creature could have been, and therefore no created Being could have become our Mediator by virtue of his own Merit, and have fatisfy'd the utmoft Justice of God; much lefs could any Creature have merited the affiftance of Grace, and the Rewards of Glory for us.

IV. The Incarnation of the Son of God is the most effectual means to excite in us Faith, and Hope, and Charity, and unfeigned Love of God, and of our Neighbour, the love of Vertue, and the hatred of Sin; and to difpofe and engage us to all Vertue and Piety. The Son of God affuming our Nature, gives us the greatest affurance of his compaffion for our Infirmities, and his defire of our Happiness. God is infinitely

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