IMMANVEL,
0%_TH E
MYSTERY
OF THE
INCARNATION
0 F TH E
SON OF GOD.
Unfolded by
fAAXTES, nATC
of Armagh.
IOHN, I. X4%
The Word wis
OXFORD,
Printed by Leonard Lichfield,
Printer to the Fniverfitj. 1645.


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THE
MYSTERIE
INCARNATION
of the Son of God.
He holy Prophet,in the Book of
thea Provcrbsjpofeth all fuch as aPro
hxve not learned wifedme , nor
known the knowledge of the 1
with this queftionPJffo
cendedupinto heaven, or defcen-
dediwbo bath gathered the wind in hithath
boundthe waters in a garment? who hath
att the ends ofthe earthiWhat u his Name,and what
is his Sons namejftbou canfl tell?T o helpushere-
in> the Son Hiralelfe did tell us, when he was
A 2 here


of the Son of
3
brought upon Egypt j when he wouldd fhewdBxod'
his power > and have his name declared
throughout all the earth.
no fucb-y neither after them Jhall be the like. Ifcu!*,0
Neither the creation of allthingsout of no¬
thing, which was the beginning of the works
ofGod ( thofe fix working dayesputting as
it were an end to that long Sabbath that ne¬
ver had beginning., wherein the Father, Sonne
and Holy Ghoft did infinitely 1 glorifie them-/ioim ir.r.
felvesand8rejoyce in the fruition one of ano-^p':ov, 8'301
ther,without communicating the notice there¬
of unto any creature) nor the refurre&ion from
the dead , and the reftauration of all things,
thelaft workes that fhall goe before that ever-
lafting Sabbath ( which fhall have a begin¬
ning, but never fhall have end: J neither that
firft, I fay, nor thefe laft, though molt admi¬
rable pecces of worke, may be compared with
this; wherein the Lord was pleafed to fhew
thehigheft pitch (if any thing may be faidto
bee higheft in that which is infinite and ex¬
empt from all meafure and dimenfions ) of his
Wifedome,Goodnefre,Power and glory.
The Heathen Chaldeans, to a queftion pro-
A 3 pounded


____ of the Son of (jod. 5
'Wtl is not of this building, we may with greater
^'tC, wonderment fay with the Apoftle s *
f ' out contr oyer fie ^ great is the my fiery of Religion'.
' plJ' God was manifested in theflejb. Yea, was made
f of a Woman,andborneofaVirgine. A thing
f 9,1 fo f wonderfull, that it was given for a fignc/rEfai,7,M'4*
*cour unto unbeleevers 740. yeeres before it was ae-
complifhedj even a figneofGod's ownchu-
' fing , among all the wonders in the depth, or
' in the height above. Therefore the
™c JhaUgiyeyou a fgne: Behold a VirginJhall concent
0£ Jb'e and be are a Son, and/ball cad his name Immamtel.
)™' Efai.7.14.
i!W A notable wonder indeed, and great be-
wilc yond all comparifon , That the Son of God
u Ihouldbc 1 made of a Woman: even made of/Gaf
that Woman which was "made by himfelfe. 44
liW That her Wmbe then, and now,
fhould contain him,whomy^tf
iltpi -pens cannot containe. Than he who had both
irititM Father and Mother , whofe pedigree is upon
record, even up unto ^Adawhointheful-
e®m nefle of time was brought forth in Beth-
kvfh lehcm? and when hehadfinilhed his courle,
that was twr off oat of	he land of the Hying at Jerufa-
------ lem;;


of the Son of (jod. 7
troth, to minde that which the Apoftle hath taught
'{ wis ys touching our Saviour:6 In him dwelleth all the Coi, 1.
•time •, fulneffe of the Godhead bodily, that is to fay, by
1 hit- fuch aperfonall and rcallunion» as doth unle-
wtiiif parably & everlaftingly conjoyn that infinite
think, Godhead with his finite Manhood in the u.
'is,be- nityofthelelfe-famc individuall Perfon.
•tbitth He in whom that fulneffe dwelleth, is the
lothoii- Person: that fulneffe which fo doth dwell
k wis in him,is the Nature. Now there dwelleth
ird.'a in him not onely the fulneffe of the
fc a- but the fulneffe of the Manhood alfo.for we be«
:t lur- leeve him to be both perfect God, begotten of
i cftit the (ubftance of his Father before all worlds j
and perfect Man,made of thefubllanceofhis
up Mother in the fullneffe of time. And therefore
itrful! wemuft hold,thattherearetwodifl:in<Sl:Na-
jb® ***** in him: and two fo diftind,that they doe
items. not make one compounded nature; but ftill
remaine uncompounded and unconfounded
feiihet together. But Hee in whom the fulneffe of the
jyfp0. Manhood dwelleth> is not one, and hee in
[jjtfo. whom the fulneffe of the Godhead another:
por but he in whom the fulneffe of both thofe na-
ca][ tures dwelleth, is one and the fame ,
to B and


of the Son of (foL
9
ing but one Perlbn , is confequently but
one Sonne »and fo noalteration at all made
in the relations of the Perfons of the Trini-
■tie.
Againe,in refpeft of us, the Apoftle fhew-
eth, that for this very end
son made of a woman j that we might receive
the Adoption ofSons." and thereupon maketh
this inference. IF herefore thou art no mor
yant, but a Sow; andifa Soxtthenan
of God through Qbrift: intimating thereby,that
what relation Chrill hath unto God by Na¬
ture, we being found in him have the fame
by Grace. By Nature heeis s
ten Sonne of the Father • but this is the high 3,1 *•
Grace he hath purchafed for us} that
ny (U received him> to them he gave power or pri«
viledge, to become the Sonnes ofQedjtvm, to them
thatbeleeve on his Name. For although he re-
fervetohimfelfe the preeminence, which is
due unto him in a*peculiar manner, of being Propter
lthefir ft borne ammg many brethren: yet in
him,and for him,thereft likewile by the gr
of adoption are all ofthem accounted as fir ft-«Kom.'s.zp.
bornes.
Bi So
—. * «►-. i


of the Son of God. u
thcr did he take the lubftance of our nature
only, but all the properties alfo and the qua¬
lities thereof; fo as it might be laid of him, as
it wasol' Elids and ther Apoftles} that he
was a man fubjett to like as we are. Yea,
hefubjedted himlelfe1 ofbu flefb to ffuf
the lame" weahcjfewhich we finde in our *• 17.
own fraile nature, and was compalfed with
,. r .. . "s "i"1*
like infirmities-, and in a word ^naatbtngswcu v/J,
made like unto bis brethren> linne only excepted. ,f
Wherein yet we mull confider, that as he took £fbCot-
upon him not an humane Ter/o#, hut an hu- \s,&
mane Nature : fo it was not rcquilite he*
fhould take upon him any Tinfirmi¬
ties, fuch as are, madneire,blindneire,lame-
nelfe, and particular kinds of difeafes which
are incident to lome only, and not to all men
inoenerall; but thofe alone which doaccom-
ZJ 1 '
pany the whole Nature of mankinde,luch as
i re hungringjthirftingjwearineflejgricfe, paine
and mortality.
We are further here alio toobfervein this
our *Meli hifedeck, that as he had no * Hcb, 7.5.
regard of one of his natures,(o he was to have
no Father in regard of th e Cithers but mull: be
B 5 borne


of the Son of (jod.
thereby be made the Son of his3 owne Spirit, iGal'4,<J"
7 , .. , . i • , 1 . Rom. 8.ji.
Became Fathers do beget their {children out of
their owne fubftance: the holy Ghoftdid not
io, but framed the flefh of him, from whom
himfclf proceeded, out of the creature of them
both f tbe hand-maid of the Lord- whom from ALuk.i.jj,
then cc all generations floaUc alible f 4*'
That blefled wombc of hers was the
bride-chamber, wherein the Holy Ghoftdid
knit [that indiffoluble knot betwixt our hu¬
mane nature and his Deity : the Son of God
afliiming into the unity of his Perlon that
which before he was not; and jyet without
change(forfomuftGodftill be) remaining
that which he was. Whereby it came to pafle,
that0 this holy thing which wtiz borneofher was cLuk.i. 35\
indeed and in truth to be called the S ONtiE of
GOD. Which wondei full connexion of two
fo infinitely differing natures inthe unity of
one perfon, how it was there effected • is an
inquificion fitter for an Angelical intelligence,
than for our fhallow capacity to look after.
To which purpoleallo we [may obferve, that
inthe fabrick of the ^Arhe of the Covenant,
dthepofture of the faces of the Qberubims to'dEtoi-37 *
ward


I 6 The Incarnation
«Exoj.35, ceived thisanfwer 3n my
12 >10- face : for there /hall no man fee mee, and
oEuy4i.8. Abraham before him,though a fpeciall0friend
iof God,and the p of the faithfull, the
^Rom. 4.1 {> Children of God j yet held it a great matter
Gai. 3.7. that he fhould take upon him fo much as to
2Gen. 13.17. q fpeak unto God , being .
r».Pet. 1.11. Yeathevery Angells themfelves (r are
fECxy 6.2. greater in power and might) are fain tof cover
their faces, when they ftand before him s as
not being able to behold the brightneffe of his
With what aftonifhment then may we be¬
hold our duft and aflhes afTumed into the un¬
divided unitie of Gods owneperlonj andad-
mitted to dwell here, as an inmate, under the
fameroofe? and yet in the midft of thofe e-
verlaftingburnings j the bufh to remain un-
confumed, and to continue frefh and green
for evermore. Yea,how fhould not we with
Abrahamrejoyceto fee this day, wherein not
only our nature in theperfon of our Lord Jefus
is found to dwell for ever in thole everlafting
burnings; but,in and by him, our owne per-
fons alfo are brought fo nigh thereunto, that
I"... " ~ "• : God
glory


of the Son of (fod. 17
5 God cloth fct his San&uarie and Tabernacle 'Levit-ltf n.
among us» and dwell with RS,and (which is;Ezlch.j7.i«,
much more) maketh us our feives to be the Rcvei.it. 5.
"boufeand th ^habitation,wherein he is plea-^^-,^
led to dwell by his Spirit^ according to that of
theApoftle, y Tee are the Temple of the li~pwgtyiCe>t&'<>'
God , as God hath faid; I will dwell in them
walkein them, and I will be their , and they
fbatl be my people. And that mod: admirable
Prayer, which our Saviour himfelfe made un¬
to his father in our behalfe/ipwy not for thefe t i0hn ,7M,
alone, butfor them alfo which Jhall beleiye on me
through their Word', that they all maybe one, as
thou Father art in mee and I in they alfo
may be one in us • that the world may .
thou baft fentme. J intbem> and thou in me: that
they may be made perfect inone-,and that the world
may know that thou haft fent and baft
them as thou haft lo~r>edme.
To compafle this conjunction betwixt
God and us, he that was to bee our a
or Saviour, rauft of necefsity alio bee Jm-
manuel, which being interpreted is, GOD
with us j and therefore in his Perfon to bee See Anfclws
J mmanuel. that is , God dwelling with our c«rDeM
C z flefli; Hw"


of the Son of Qod. \ p
(elves together into one body and one ftate.
God and we were w enemie; before wee ^Rom.5,to.
were reconciled to him by bis He that
is to be c our Teace , and to reconcile us unto r , ,
> • . n f e EP"e'« zt
God ,and to fay this enmity , mult have >4.
an interefl: in both the parties that are at
variance , and have fuch a reference unto
either of them ; that he may be able to lend
this comfortable meffage unto the fonnes of
men. f Goeto my brethrenj and ^IohI7-
them: I afcend unto my Father, and your Fa¬
ther ; and to my God, and your Qod.For as
long as S beets not ajhamed to call us brethren
b GOD is not ajbamed to be called our GOD. iHcb-"a«.
Andhisentringofourapparance, in his own
name and ours , after this manner, 1 "Tie- j Htb
hold, I, and the children which God bath given
tnee i is a motive ftrong enough to appeafe his
Father , and to turnc his favourable counte¬
nance towards us. as on the other fide, when
we become unruly , and prove Rebellious
children, no reproofe can be more forci¬
ble, nor inducementfoprevalent (ifthere re«
maine any (parke of grace in in us^) to make
us caft downs our weapons and yeeld,than
C 3 thisj i


2o The Incarnation
kv>ta.ii,6. £)ge ye thus requite the Lord, 0 pea-
pie and unwife ? Is not he thy Father that hath
i8Ptt''7' bought thee ? and bought thee,1 corrupti¬
ble things, <u f her and gold, but with
^flw^ofhis ovvne Son.
How dangerous a matter it is to be at ods
with God, old Ely fheweth by this maine
MiSam 1,15-argument: m If one ,
the Judge /hall judge him: but if a man fin againfi
the Lord,who /ball plead or for him ? and
8^9.31,35.y^^beforehim;n He is not a man as I am,that J
Jhouldanfwer him, and we fijould come together in
judgement: neither is there any or
Vmpire betwixt us,that might lay his hand, upon us
both. Ifthisgenerall fhould admit no manner
of exception, then were we in a wofull caie3
and had caulcto weeo much more than Saint
l
»Rtvei 5 - * did in the Revelation; when0 none was
found in heav en mr in earth,,nor under
that was abletoopen the which he (aw in
the right hand of him that fate upon the
T\xor	 ,neithtr to look thereon. But as S.
was wifhed there, to refraine his weeping;
pmvcrf.s.becaufeP the Lion of the tribe of Iuda,tberootof
David,had prevailed to open the
the


of the Son of (25
fhould be moftdeare to God theFacher, and
havefogreatan intereft in him, as he might
alwayes be fure to be a heard in his requelts; a Iohn n<4i.
who cherefore could be no other, but he of
whom the Father certified from heaven,1 hTbistMatth.5.17.
is my beloDed Sonne, in whom I am
It was fit our interceffor fhould be man > like
unto our felves, that we mightc boldly come Hcb 4.
to him, and finde grace to help in time of need'.
it was fit he fhould be God > that he might
boldly goe to the Father, without any way di-
fparaginghim j as being his , and
K equal}. ePfoU.s.
But fuch was Gods loT>etojuftice, an
tred co finne; that he would not have his j«-
flice(wallowed up with mercy , nor
pardoned without the making of fit reparati¬
on. And therefore our Mediatour muft not
looke to procure forus a limple pardon with- Rom- J-1*-
L , . n i f • • • / 'lohn 2il,&
out more adoej but mult be a propitiation for 4.1°.
our finnes , and redeem us by fine ands «r
Jorne: and fo not only be the matter of our re- M.m. lo. is.
quefls, tointreat the Lord for us;but alio take
upon him t he part of an ^ Jl dvocatt&o plead ■ T,fn
fullJdtisfattion made by hinalelfe , as our l^ohnlAt
D furetiei


<-B.eb.7.i>. i furetie,unto all the debt wherewith wc any
way flood chargeable. Now the Satufattion
which our furety bound himlelfe to performe
in ourbehalfe, was ofa double the prin-
cipall,and theacceflory. The principal! debt
is obedience to Godsmoftholy Law- which
man was bound to pay as a perpetuall tribute
to his Creator, although he had never finned;
but, being now by his owne default become
bankrupt, is not able to difcharge in the leafl
meafure. His furety therefore being to latisfie
in his ftead - none will be found fit to under¬
take fuch a payment, but he who is both God
and Man.
Manitisfit helfhould be : becaufc Man
was the party that by the Articles of the firft
Covenant was tied to this obedience- and it
IRom.j.ij). was rcquifitc that, chfobedi¬
ence many were madefinners, the obedience
of one Man likemfe, many jhould be made righ¬
teous. Againe > if our Mediatour were only
God, he could have performed no obedience
C the Godhead being free from all manner
of fubjection: ) and if heNwere a bare Man,
although he had beene asperfc& as *Adam3
in


2& The Incarnation
would all that have been, which could be
given unto him. But Chriftdid himfelfe fan?
stifle that humane nature which heaflumed,
according to his ownc faying, 17. 19.
For their fakes I fanclifie : and loout
ofhis owne peculiar ftore did he bring forth
thole precious treafures of holy obedience ,
which for the fatisfa£tion of our debt he was
pleafed to tender unto his Father. Again , if
j,Luke 17.to, Adam had p done all things which were com¬
manded him, he mull for all that have laid.
I am an unprofitable ; I haye done that
which was my duty to doe. Whereas in the vo¬
luntary obedience, which Chrift fubje&ed
himfelfe unto , the cafe flood fatre other-
wile.
True it is that if we refpeft him in his hu-
atoh. 14.18. mane nature,'^ A Father
rEfayj?-1 *• heishis Fathers "fer:yet in thathelaid,
Mat.ii.t8- an(j mofl. truly (aid, that God was his s
yiohn 5.18, fthe Jewes did rightly inferre from thence,
thathe thereby made himfelfe equaH with j
7Z?«h. 1 J.?, and'the Lord of hofts himfelfe hath proclai¬
med him to be the man that is fellow. Being
fuch a man therefore , and lo highly borne-
by


of the Son of (fod.
ip
was
to tender unto his Father a bond,iigned with
his owne bloud , whereby he nude himfelfe
in our behalfe a debtour untothe whole Law.
For ltefiifie{ faith 'the Apoftle) Gal.*.,.
that is circumcifed, that he is a debtour to the whole
Law.
in like manner IB aptifmeappertained pro¬
perly unto inch as were defiled, and had need
to have their f finnes wafhed away ; and/Aa.
therefore when all the land of Judea, and they
ofjerufalem went out unto John,they
all baptised of him in the riyer Jo, " *'5'
their finnes. Among the reft came our Saviour
alfo ; buttheBaptift confidering thathehad
need to be baptized by Chrift, and Chrift no
need at all to be baptized by him , refufed to
give way unto that adion} as altogether un»
befitting the ftate of that immaculat Lamb of
God, whowastotake awaythefinneof the
World. Yetdidour Mediatour fubmit him¬
felfe to that ordinance of God alfo: not only
toteftifie his communion with the Chriflians
of the new T eftament; but efpecially (which
is the reafon yeeldcd by himfelfe ) becaufe
11 itbeeamehim that to fulfill all righteoufnefie. »
And


of the San of (fod.
penalty due for the default. And as the pay¬
ment of the debt which commeth
»<«,dilchargeth not the tenant afterwards from
paying his yearly rent; which of it felfe would
have been due, although no default had been
committed fothe due payment of the yearly
rentsafter the default hath been made,is no fuf-
ficient fatisfa&ion for the penalty already in¬
curred. Therefore our (urety, whoftandeth
chargeable with all our debts, as he maketh
paiment for the one by his mull he
make amends for the other by his Paflivc obe-
dience:hc muft firftnfufFer,& the enter into his T. t - -
J # LUK.14,2#
glory.10 For it became him for whom are all Heb.»•,
and by whom are all things,in bringing many ftns
unto glory yto make the captain of their
perfect (that is} a perfeCt accomplifherof the
work wch he had underta.ke)throughf xfierings.
The Godhead is ofthat infinit perfection,
thatit cannot poffibly bejfubjcCt to any pafsi-
on. He therefore that had no other nature but
the Godheadjcould not pay fuch a debt as this-
thedilcharge whereof confided in differing
and dying. It was alfo fit, that Gods juftice
fliould have bin fatisfied in that nature which
E had


34- 77^ Incarnation
was the moftaccomplifhtpatterneof allforti-
tM«fei4 33- tudejftood 2 fire amazed and *witb flrong
54.47. i"g andteare'sprayed thatjb//i* were
*m«.i4-3 5> hour might paffe from him.
tHeKio.ii. « This man therefore being to offer onela-
crifice for fins for ever; to the burning of that
ic.antic.«.<5. facrificehe muftnot only bringthe d coals of
his love as ftrongas death,and as ardent as the
fire which hath a moft vehement flame, but
«Efay33.'4- he muft adde thereunto thofeeverlaftingbur¬
nings alfo> even the flames of his moft glori-
/Heb.P. 14. ous Deity: and therefore' through the
Spirit muft he offer without Jpot unto
£ibidver,i2. Qod-, that hereby he might s obtaine for us an
eternallredemption.Thebloud whereby the
»a& 2* it. Church is purchaled* muft be h I
aiCor.2.?. blood : and to that end muft 5
i5. be crucified-y k the Tand author of life be
jEfay 53-*• killed^he 'whole eternall generation no man can
declare , be cut off out of the land of the lining ■
and the man that is Gods owne fellow be thus
fmitten ; accordingtothat which God him-
felfe foretold by his Prophet. in Awake, 0
J,3i. (word, againfl my jhepherdy andman
that is my fellow faith the Lord of bofls:finite the
- 1 Jbeff


of the Son of (fof
(hepberd,and theJbeepJ, ball be fe^.The peo¬
ple oflfraell, we reade,did fo value the life of
D^i^cheirKing, thac they counted him to be
worth n tenthoufand of them (elves; how fhall „ lSam., 8.3;
we then value the life of ° D Pwho0 Matth-"•
* 4jj 44.
is thebleffed izf only Potentate,the Km ,/>
J T J Si J 91 "12 L Revel.IJ.lS.
and Lord of lords; It was indeed our nature that
fuflfered; but he that fuflfered in that nature,*!# ? Rom. 9 ?.
oyer all, God blejfedfor eyer: andforfuch a per-
lon tohave fuflfered butone houre, was more
than ifall other perfons had fuflfered ten thou-
fand millions ofyears.
But put cafe alfo, that the life of any other
lingular man might be equivalent to all the
lives ofwhole mankindetyet the laying down
of that life would not be fufficientto doe the
deed,unleflfe he that had power to lay it down,
had power likewile to take it up again. For to
be detained alwayes in that
wbencetbere is no comming out Jo
of the uttermofifarthing- istoliealwaies under
execution, and lo todifanullquite the plea of
that fullpaymet of the debt wherein our furety
flood engaged for us. And therefore the Apoftle
upon that ground doth rightly conclude; that


The Incarnation
fifi<x.i3.i7.s Chritt benotraifed, wears
yet in our finnes} and consequently, that as he
eR<m«.4.i;. muq bt^delberedto death our offencesfo he
muft be raifed again for our jufiification.
Yea, our Saviour himfelfe, knowing full
well what he was to undergoe for our lakes,
told us before hand, that the Comforter whom
atah.i6.io. he would fenduntous, fhould u convince the
world, that is, fully fatisfie the eonfciences of
*Dan,9.i4.tiiefonnesofmcnconcernjngthat,'eVerlafting
righteoufnejfe which was to be brought in by
him, upon this very ground :
my Father yandyefee me no more. For if he had
broken prilon, and madeanelcape» the pay¬
ment of the debt, which as our furety he took
upon himfelfe, being not yet latisfied , he
fhould have been leene here againe: Heaven
would not have held him, more then Para-
dife did Adam, after he had fallen into Gods
debt and danger. But our Saviour railing
himfelfe from the dead, prefenting himfelfe
in Heaven before him unto whom the debt
was owing , and maintaining his ftanding
there, hath herebygiven good proofe, that he
is now a free-man, and hath fully dilcharged
that


of the Son of God.
that debt of ours for which he flood com¬
mitted. And this is the evidence we have to
fhew of that righteoufnejje> whereby we ftand
juftifiedin Gods fight: according to that of
theApoftle. y Who jhall lay anything to the y Rorn 8 j,
charge of Gods eleft ?It is God that J 4. ' '
who is he thatcondemneth ? It is Qhrifl that >
yea rather that is rifen again • who is even at the
right hand of God, who alfo maketh "mtercefion
for us.
Now although an ordinary man mayeafi-
lypart with his life ; yet doth it not lye in
his power to rcfumc it againe at his own will
and plcafure. But he that [mud doe the turne
for us, mud be able to lay as our JESUS did.
z I lay down my life,that I may take it again. No tiofi.10.17,
tnantaketh it from met but I lay it downe of my ,8°
fdfe: I baye power to lay it dewn, and I
to take it againe. and in another place: 1Deftroy
this Temple, and in three dayes I will raife it up;
laich he unto the Jewes, Jpeaking of the Temple
of his body . An humane nature then he mull
have had,which might be lubjeft to dilfoluti-
on: but being once diflolvedj he could not by
his owne ftrength (which was the thing here
that


38 The Incarnaion
ncceflarily required) raile it up againej unleffe
brom.i,4. he had b declared himfelfe to be the Son of God
with power, by the refttrrettifrom the The
Manhood could luffer, but not overcome the
lharpnefle of death: the could luffer
nothing, but overcome any thing. He there- /
forethat was both to luffer and to overcome '
death for us,muff be partaker of both natures; I1
that c being put to death in the flejh, he-might '■
be able alfo to quicken himfelfe by his owne t
Spirit. a
And now are wee come to that part of (
Chrifts mediation>whieh concerneththecom 1
dEpkef.1,14. veiance oiAtbe redemption of th'xsp
fefiion unto the fons of men. A deare purchale
indeed, which was to be redeemed with no 1
leflepricethenthe bloud of the Sonne ofGod.
butwhat fhould the purchale of a ftranger
have been to us ? or what Ihould we have
beene the better for ail this; ifwe could not
derive ourdelcentfrom the purchaler,or raife
fome good title whereby we might eftate our (
felves in his purchale?Now this was the man. ,
ner in former time in Ifraell, concerning re¬
demptions, that unto him who was the*next
of


of the Son of (f Oct.
19
ofkinne belonged the right of being6 or ?RuthJ.11
the Redeemer. And lob had before that left 4.7 Vrf'J'
this glorious profelsion of his faith unto the
perpetuall memory of all pofterity.
that my Qoel or Redeemer livet, and at the lafl l6'17'
(ball arife upon the dufl( or, ft and upon the earth:)
And after this my skinne is jpent; yet in myftefh
J,hall Ifee God. Whom I/hallfee for myJeife^and
mine eyes J,hall behold, and not another for me.
Whereby we may eafily underftand, that his
and our Redeemer was to be the invifible
God,andyetinhis affirmed ftelh madevifible
even to the bodily eyes of thole whom he re¬
deemed. For if he had not thus affumed our
fie(b; how fhould we have been of his bloud, -
or claimed any kindred to hintfandunleffethc
Godhead had by a perlonall union beene unfe-
parably conjoyned unto that fiefh; how could
he therein have beene accounted our of¬
kinne?
For the better clearing of which laftrea-
fon j we may call to mind that fentenceof
the Apoftle. sThefrfl man is of the earth earthy: gl-CocI
thefecond man is the Lordfrom hear en. Where
notwithstanding there were many millions
F of


4-1 The Incarnation
ved unco us by the meanes of car nail generati¬
on. fomuftthe benefic ofthe obe¬
dience be conveyed unto us by fpirituall rege¬
neration. And this muftbe layd downe as a
p iohn j. j. moft undoubted verity ; that,except a
be born againdbe cannot fee the King dome of Gods
j iohn 1.13. andthatevery luch muftbe <3 ,
nor of the wi II of the flefb nor of the will of
of God. Now, as our Mediatour in relpetft of
the Adoption of Sons,which he hath procured
*Heb. 1.11. for us,r is notafhamed to call us 13 (o
inrelpeftof this new birth , whereby he be-
gettethusto a fpirituall 5c everlaftinglite, he
difdaineth not to owne us as his
/Efiyjs.io.f if hen thou fhalt make his foul an offering for pn}
hee /ball fee his feed: faith the Prophet Elaias.
tpfci. 1130.1 Afeedjballfer'vehim.Jt /hall be accounted to the
Lor dfor a generation:faith his Father
likewifeofhim. and he himfelfe,of himfelfer
uH=b. 1.13. vBehold Land the children which God hath giDen
me. Whence the Apoftlededuceththis con-
* ibid.ver.M« clufion : 51 Forafmucb then as the children are
partakers of flefb and bloud» he alfo himfelfe -
wife tookepart of the fame. He himlelfe,that is,
he who was God eqtiall to the Father , for
who


of the Son of (f od.43
who elfe was able to make this
but the fame2God that is the Creator of all Gai.<s.Vj°'
things? (no leffe power beingrequifite to the
effe&ing of this, then was at the firft to the J s*
producingof all things out of nothing:) and
thelenew a babes being to beb borne of the Sp
rit-} who could have power to lend the Spirit} with 1.13!
thus to beget them , but the Father and the bf,6%3'"**
Sonne from whom he proceeded ? the fame
bletTed Spirit, who framed the naturall body
of our Lord in the wombe of the Virgin 5 be¬
ing to new mould and fafh/on every member
of his myfticall body unto his fimilitude and
likeneffe.
Forthe further openingof which myfiery
( which went beyond the apprehenfion of
c Vfjcodemw, though a mafler of Jfrael) we are abid.verf.4,
toconfidei j that in every perfeft generation, 9'1°'
the creature produced receiveth two things
from him that doth beget it: Life and .
A curious limmer draweth his own foftnes
portraiture to the life ( as we fay ) yet, be-
caufethere is no true life in it, butalikeneffe
only 3 he cannot be faid to be the begetter of
hispi£ture,as he is of his Son. And fome crca-
Fj tures


of the Son of(fad. 47
Kjfejiyi
ly : and cu we have borne the image of the earthy,
we (hall alfo beare the image of the heavenly. We
fhall indeed hereafter bear it in full perfect ion:
when 1 the Lord Jefus Qhrift (ball change our{m.}.».
bafe body yt hat it may befafhione like unto hi) glo¬
rious body-t according to the , whereby hee
is able even to fubdue all things unto Yet
in the mean time alio, luch a conformity is
required in us unto that heavenly man that
r our convsrfation mufl be in , a.fer<M:
look for this Saviour'-and that we muff sput off u
• 1 r • I i/lyEpn.4.21,
concerning the former converjationfbat old , *3- :<»-
©/lie/)« corrupt according to the lufist
•and be renewed in the Jpirit of our mind ,and put
en the new man > which after God is created in
rigbteoufnefe and trueholineffe. For as in one
particular point of domefticall authority}tf^d.Cor. u.
Man is (aid to be the image and glo
theWoman the glory of the Man: fo in a more« i.Cor.4.4.
univerfall maner is Qhrift laidto be" the image (^.'3,%.
of God, even *thebrigbtneffe of his
rr ' n • j. r J V So where the
exprejje imageofhts perfon; and we y Hebrew hath
formed to his image,that he might be the fir ft. born
Im among thofe many brethren,'who in that re(pe<5t £e Greek'
are accounted x the glory cf Cbrift, ' «ndreth.tJhii
k g -


48 The Incarnation
a Mum.11.7> we read in the holy ftory, that God
of the Jpirit which was
tothefeventy Elders } that they might bear the
burdcnofthe People with him> and that he
might not beare it ,as before he had done^im.
felfe alone. It may be,his burden being thus
lightened, the abilities that were left him for
government were not altogether fo great, as
the necefsity of his former employment requi¬
red them to have beene; and in that regard^
what was given to his afsrftants, might per¬
haps be faid to be taken from him. But we
are fure the cale was otherwife in him of
jiohn j. 54. whom now we fpeake : unto whom b §od
did not thus give the fpirit by meaAnd there¬
fore although (o many millions of beleivers
tPhiiip.i.t?. do continually receive this Spi¬
rit of Iefw Qhrifi. yet neither is thatfountaine
any way exhaufted > nor the plenitude of that
well-fpring of grace any whit empayred or
acoior.1.19. diminifhed: it being Gods pleafure in
t iohn.i.t<5- him should alifullnejje dwell, and thate of hisful-
neffe all we should receive grace forgrace.thzt as
in the naturall generation there is fuch a cor-
lefpondence in all parts betwixt the begetter
1 and


*o The Incarnation
phant,typified thereby, though diftant as far
the one from the other as Heaven is from
Earth.yetismadebutone Tabernacle in Jcfus
fcEpiuf. i, a.Chriftj k in whom all the building fitly framed to~
gethergrowethunto an holy temple in the ,
andnz whom all of ut are together for an
habitation of God tbrougbtbe Spirit.
The bond of this myfticall union betwixt
I Sermon to Chrift and us (as1 elfewhere hath more fully
kS" been declared, is on his partthat m quickening
^ent'inn- Spirit, which being in him as the Head, is
miohn 6.6..from thence diffufed to the fpirituall anima.
i,Ccr,6,i7. & . riii' i i
,*.45. tion or all his members ; and on our parr
K.om!s!'9. n Faith,which is the prime a£t of life wrought
actij M inthofe who are capable ofunderftandingby
a Gai.i.io,& that fame fpirit. Both whereof muft be ac«
Ephef.ja/i knowledged to be of fo high a naturer that
none could poffibly by fuch ligatures knit up
fo admirable a body, but he that was God
Almighty.And therefore although we did lup-
pole fuch a man might be found who fhoulct
perform the Law for us, fuflfer the death that
was due to our offence and overcome it • yea
and whofe obedience and fufferings fhould
be of fuch valve, that it were for the
redemption


of the Son of Cjod. 51
redemption of the whole world: yet could it
not be efficient to make us live by faich^nleflc
that Man had been able to lend Gods fpirit to
apply the fame unto us.
VVhich as no bare Man or any other Crea¬
ture whatfocver can doe-, lo for Faith we are
taught by S. orPaul, thatit is the operation oior.t.u.'
God,and a wrkeofhis p<jwr?evenofthatfame 1'Thefwl'
power,wherewith Chrifthimfelfewasra/^
from the dead. Which is the ground of that
prayer of his sthat the p eyes of our underllan- Ephef.,.i9,
ding being enlightened , we might know
what it the exceeding greatneffe of his power to
niS'ward who beleeye, according tt the working of
his mighty power, which he wrought in Chrifl when
he raifed him from the deadend him at his own
righthand inthe heayenly places, far re aboyeall ,
principalityt and power, and might,andeyery
Name that is named not only in this world but alfo
in that to come: and hath put all things under his
feetyand gaye hirnto behead oyer all things to the
Churchy which is his body 3 thefulnejfe of him that
fillethall in all.
Yet was it fit alfo, that the Head fhould be
ofthe lame nature with the f which is
G 2 knit


of the Son o/Cjod.
t>ingway which he hath conjecratedfor
theDaiki that it to fay > his flefh. Thatasin'the
Tabernacle 5 there was no parting from the
Holy to the mod Holy place, but by the vaile:
lo now there is no paffage to be looked for
from the Church Militant to the Church Tri¬
umphant, butbythey?<?/£ofhim, who hath
laid ofhimfelfe; y I am the way, the truth y and y iohn'.4.
the lifeyio man commetb unto the father but by me.
Jacob in his dreame beheld2 a ladderfet upon tGen.is.
the earth, the top whereof reachedtoand J'
the ^Angels of^od afcending and defcendingon
/Vithe Lord\mitilanding aboDetf.Of which
vifion none can give a better interpretation
then he, who was prefigured therein, gave
untoNathdnael. a HereafteryouJhafee heayen rfj0hni.
opened, and the Angels of God afcending and de¬
fending upon the Son of man. Whence we may
well collet, that the only meanes whereby
God Handing above, and his Ilracl lying here
below are conjoyned together, and the only
ladder whereby Heaven may be Icaled by us,
isth eSonofman.Thetypeof whofeflefli, the
vaile,was therefore commanded to beb made Exo<u*.51
with Cherubims» to (hew that we come
to


54 ' The Incarnation
cHeb.it. it. ctoaninnumerable company of Angels,when we
come to Ief us the Mediatour of the New
ment\ who as the Head of the Church hath
i Heb. 1.14 power to A fend forth all thof mini firing Jpirits,
to ministerfor them who be heirs off fixation.
Laftly,weare to take into our confidera-
tion» that as in things concerning God, the
maine execution of our Sauiours
doth confift; fo in things concerning Man he
exercifeth both h\sPropheticallofhce}whexehy
heopeneth the will of: his Father unto us} and
his Kingly,whereby he ruleth and protedfeth
cDeut.j3.10. us. It was indeed a partofe the office
Maf8i?7'intheoldTeftament to inftrudithe people in
/Efai.18.7, the Law of God, and yet were f they diftin-
guifhed from Prophets; like as in the newTe-
ftament alfo,g Prophets as well as are
£Eph.4.n- made a different degree from ordinary Pa-
flours and Teachers who received nottheir
dodtrineby immediate infpiration from hea-
ht.Pet.i.i'- yen; as thofe other h holy men of God did, who
Jpake as they were moused by the holy Qhofl.
Whence Saint Paul putteth the Hebrewesin
i mind, that <fod who
dry manners ffake in timepafl unto the fa
Hcb i.i' the


of the Son of(yod.
55
the Prophets, hath in the/9 la ft jpoken unto
j«^MS0»ChriftJefus: whom therefore he
ftylcthk theApoStle, as well as the \ Hd>.s
our profefion twbo was faithfuU to him that appoin¬
ted bim, even as Mfeswas in all bis boufe.
Now Moles,we know , had a lingular
preeminence above all the reft of the Pro¬
phets : according to that ample teftimony
which God himlelfgiveth of him.1 n® n.<,
knowne unto bim in a Vifion , and will jpeake unto
bim in a dream. My fervant Motes is not (otwbo is
faitbfull in all mine houfevwith bim fpeake
moutbto mouth, even apparently, andnotindark
fpeeches, and thefimilitude ofthe Lord he
behold.And therefore we finde,that our Medi-
atourin the execution of his Prophecicall of¬
fice is in a more peculiar manner likened unto
Mofes; which he hiasfelfallo did thus foretell,
m fbe Lordtby God wiOraife up untotbee a T10- »Dm.is.
pbet/rom the midftof thee 3 tftby
unto me, umto himye /ball hearken. According to
all that thou defired/l of the Lord thy God in Ho -
reb, in the day of the ajjembly faying, Let me not
heare againethe voyceqftbe Lord my tydpteitber
~ H ' ~


58 The Incarnation
the Church of the living whereof as he is the
only Lord y fo is he properly the only Builder,
ynu.i6.t9. Chrift therefore being both the Lord and the y
^Builder of his Church, muftbe God as well as
Man: which is the caute, why we findc all
X the feverall ma nitons of this to
»«.Cot.u.i6« carry the title indifferently ofa Churches of
ijRoni.i6.rf. God and b the Churches of Chrift.
True it is, that there are other minifteriall
builders, w hom Chrift employed in that fer-
vice : this being not the leaftoi thofe gifts
which he bellowed upon men at his trium-
e Eph^ u.n. phant Afcenfion into heaven , that'hegavs
not only ordinary Paftours and Teachers, buc
-i4/w/?^xlikewile,and Prophets, & Evznge lifts-
for th e perfecting of the Saints > for the worke of
1 the minifterjfortbe edifying of the body of Chrift.
Which what great power itrecjuiredjhe him-
felf doth fully expreiTe in pafting the grant of
*8, this high Commiifion unto his Apoftles.
1 ?»10' power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go
ye therefore and teach all , baptising them
in the name ofthe Father,and ofthe Sonjlsf ofthe
holy Ghoft j teaching them to obferVe
wbatfoever l hOVecommandedyou: and lo) I am
j. with


of the Son of
S9
pit
ks
with you alway, even untoth ,
uimen,
S.Paul profefleth of himfelfrthathcc e
red more abundantly then a 11 the reft of the Apo*
files; jet not /, faith he, but the grace of God
which was with me. And therefore although W-/i.cor.j.^«;
cording to that grace of God which
him, he denicth not but that, as
builder, he had laid the foundation; yet he ac¬
knowledged! that they upon whom he had
wrought > were Gods building aswellasgWf
husbandry. For whotfaith8 hedand who is |W<t»eC >>
Apollo fut miniflers by whomyou even 7
as the Lord gave to every man?
Apollo watered:but Godgavetbe So then
neither is he that planteth any tbingyneitber he that
watereth: but God thatgtVetbthe increafe.
Two things therefore we finde in our great
Prophet.which do fat exceed the ability of any
bare Man j and fo do difference him from all
the h holy Trophets y which have 41^1.70.
world began.Vox fir ft we are taught • that >
matt knowetb the Father Jave the Son, an bee to
whomjoever the Son will reveale him: and that
knoman bathfeenGod at anytimej but *«**•


of tt eSonof Cjod.
*1
[ f
*
there {hall be us end, upon the thronfof David
and upon his k ingdome-po order j and - efiablifh
it with,judgement and with jufiice , from hence-
forth even forever>z&'d by Daniel? y :8Wolty^x* v,n>
one like the Son of man came with tbedouds of
heaven,and came to the Ancient of and they
brought him n ear befor e him. And there was given
him dominion and glory and a that
people, nations, & languagesJhonldhim'his
dominion is an ever lafling dominion which /had
not pa/fe away, and his kingdome ihs,t whi
not bede/lroyecL and by the angel Gaby (chin hrs
ambafl'age to the bleffed Virgin. * Heboid thou t Luk.i;Si>'
/halt conceive in thy womb, and bring f 3*'J5i
and/halt call his name Tcfut. He/hall - he great,
and/hall be called the Son of the Highefi: and the
Lord Qod /hall give him thethrdne of his father
David. Andhejhallreigne over
for ever- andofhis kingdome there/ballUe ndehd'.
This iuhat new1 David our Kintewh6nS<iier.jo.>.
Godhatk raifedupunto his b owne Hrael; E«Ch.''
who was in truth, ehac which he was called; ,T&, ]7' f
«r " . ' " OaJ.6. 16#
the Son oiManptid the Sonfreof thcHigbeft.
that ia tlieone refped, * weliiay fay unto«EPh,f.jo.
him, as the Ifraelites of old-Mrd unto theh
I David