Laſtly, to conclude this paralele, at the time of his paſſion you ſee him under the hands, and power of his enemies, ſcourged, crowned, crucified, hanging on the Croſſe, bowing downe his head ſorrowing, complaining, weeping, bleeding, dying.

Behold the Child.

But do you not ſee at the ſame time, the heavens grow blacke, and darkned above, and the earth trembling beneath him: do you not ſee the graves open, the rockes cleave in ſunder, the vaile of the Temple rent, and the whole univerſe ſeeme to be troubled at the ſadneſſe of the ſpectacle?

Behold the Sonne.

And thus you ſee (not only in my text, but all along, the hiſtory of the Goſpell, and throughout the whole courſe of our bleſſed Redeemers life) the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud, the divinity of the Sonne of God breaking out through the cloud and veyle of his fleſh, and both of them clearly manifeſting themſelves in the perſon of our Mediatour. And therefore (as the Father hath obſerved) when you ſee him crying in the cradle,Ambroſe. or crucifyed on the croſſe, when you ſee him hungry and thirſty, weary, weeping, ſorrowing, grieving, bleeding, & dying, Ecc • homo, Behold A man: But when you ſee him caſting out Devils, raiſing the dead, feeding of thouſands with a few loaves, and fewer fiſhes miraculouſly multiplyed: when you ſee him, reading the riddles of mens inmoſt thoughts, forgiving ſinnes, commanding not onely winds and ſeas, but uncleane ſpirits and devills unto obedience, then Ecce Deus, Behold A God: Behold them both in my text in this child, and in this ſonne, Infans vagiens in cunabulo, filius tonans in Coelo, Ambroſe. A child crying in the Cradle, and hee at the ſame time A ſonne thundering in heaven: an Infant thruſt out of doores to take up his harbour in a ſtable, and he at the ſame time A Sonne diſpoſing of Paradiſe, and of the glorious manſions in heaven, at the right hand of his Father.

And there was a reaſon for all this,Reaſons of this marvelous union of two natures in the one undivided perſon of our Mediatour. yea there was a neceſſity of it on our parts; or elſ he could never have reconciled us to God the Father, nor have become for us a fit and perfect Mediatour. Neither the child without the ſonne, nor the ſonne without the child, could have done it, hee muſt be both, A Child, and A Sonne too, both God and man that was to reconcile God and man, heaven and earth together. Had he beene only man, he could never have laid downe a price which might have beene of ſufficient value to ranſome the ſinnes of the whole world, and had hee beene onely God, he had not had what to lay downe to ranſome them withall, not a body to offer up in ſacrifice for us, nor blood to ſhed, without which there is no redemption, (for the God head is impatible.) Had he beene onely man, he could never have gone through the great worke of our redemption, he could never have ſtood under the great weight of his Fathers wrath, and the burden of the ſinnes of the whole world, which were to be laid upon him. And had he beene onely God, he could not have ſatisfied the juſtice of God for the ſinne of man, which required that ſatisfaction ſhould be made in that nature that had offended: and what ſatisfaction had it been for God to ſatisfie himſelfe upon himſelfe, for the ſinne and offence that was committed againſt him by another? There was a neceſſity (therefore) that he ſhould be both, that the Child and the Sonne together; the Humanity, and the Divinity united in one might make up the perſon of a fit Mediatour.

1 There was a neceſſity that hee ſhould be man that ſo he might punctually ſatisfie the juſtice of God for the ſinne of man, anſwering for ſinne in that nature that had committed it. Therefore A Child.

And there was a neceſſity hee ſhould be God too, that by the dignity of his perſon hee might adde value to his ſufferings and obedience, to make them meritorious and of a ſufficient price to ranſome the ſinne of thouſands Therefore A Sonne.

2 It was neceſſary he ſhould be man, that ſo hee might have what to offer up to God in ſacrifice for us, even a body capable of death, and blood to be ſhed for remiſſion of ſinne for the taking off of the ſentence of death that was gone out againſt us:

Therefore A Child.

And it was neceſſary hee ſhould be God too, that ſo by the power of his deity hee might ſupport his humanity in that great conflict, and under that great burden of his Fathers wrath, and the ſinne of the whole world that lay upon him, and that in the end he might be able to reſcue himſelfe out of the hands and power of hell, death, and the grave; and by his owne power to raiſe up his body from death to life; and openly to triumph over it. Therefore A Sonne. Therefore both, that hee might be a fit Mediatour betweene both, neither as God, ſo tendering the honour of the Deity offended, as to forget the miſery of the poore loſt ſonnes of Adam: Nor yet as man, ſo compaſſionating the miſery of the loſt ſonnes of Adam, as to neglect the honour of the Deity offended, but as one that was partaker of both, deare to both, and both to him, hee might lay an indifferent hand upon both, and ſo become betweene both, an aequall, indifferent, and impartiall Mediatour.

And here (beloved) you have the revelation of that great myſtery, the myſtery of godlineſſe, the myſtery of which Saint Paul writes to Tymothy, 1 Tim: 3.16. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , without controverſie great is the myſtery of godlineſſe: and whats that?2 Cor. 5.19. God manifeſted in the fleſh: Joh. 1.4. God in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelfe. 2 Cor. 5. The Word made fleſh, Joh. 1. A myſtery indeed, which the Angels themſelves deſire to looke into, 1 Pet. 1.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (ſaith the Originall) to pry into, to the very bottome, implying, that the farther they pry into it, the farther they may, and the more ſtill they diſcover of the myſterie, affording matter of admiration, even to thoſe Angelicall ſpirits: And although wee are not able to looke ſo farre into this great myſtery as thoſe Angelicall ſpirits are, nor to diſcover ſo much of it as they doe, yet let it be ſeriouſly lookt into, and the diſcerning ſpirit will eaſily perceive how in this high myſtery all the moſt glorious Attributes of Almighty God doe meet together, and worke together, and in moſt eminent manner diſplay themſelves, how his wiſedome, his power, his juſtice, and his grace are all ſet aworke in this great deſigne, and the reſult of them all is, juſt the burthen of the Angels ſong, Glory to God on high, peace on earth beneath, Luk. 2.14. and towards men good will.

1 Firſt his wiſedome in laying the plot, in contriving the way how mankind loſt ſhould be reſtored and ſaved, and yet he not ſuffer in the honour of his truth and juſtice which had paſt againſt them the ſentence of death, In quo die commederis morte morieris: Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eateſt, thou ſhalt die the death.

2 Secondly, his power in bringing this about, being contrived, (againſt ſo great oppoſitions, ſo many difficulties ſtanding in the way) and effecting it with ſuch happy ſucceſſe as he hath done, though it coſt him deare.

3 Thirdly, his juſtice in puniſhing ſin ſo ſeverely, and that in his owne Sonne, being but an undertaker for it, and that meerly out of his love and compaſſion to poore ſoules loſt and undone, that they might not periſh.

4 Fourthly, his grace in being at ſuch coſt to ſave and to reſtore ſinfull men his enemies, that had ſo highly offended him, and undone themſelves. All theſe may he that runneth read in this myſtery. There s in the 85. Pſalme, and 10. verſe, a ſweet paſſage of the Prophet David, Mercy and truth are met together, righteouſneſſe and peace have kiſſed each other: Behold in this myſtery they are met together, and in this glorious deſigne they kiſſe each other. His mercy ſuch, that rather then mankind ſhall periſh, his owne and onely ſonne ſhall become a Child, take their nature upon him, and in that nature ſuffer all, that mankind ſhould have ſuffered, and doe all that hee ſhould have done, that ſo all this being imputed unto him, he might have the benefit of it, that he might be excuſed from ſuffering, and accepted in the ſight of God as holy, as innocent, and as juſt, as if he had never offended. And yet his juſtice ſuch, that rather then ſinne ſhall goe unpuniſhed, hee would puniſh it in his owne ſonne, yea and that with great ſeverity too, he would not ſpare him, although in the extremity of the conflict he begg'd of him that he would, he deſired that that cup might paſſe from him,Matth. 26.39. yet he would not heare him, nor excuſe him, but laid on load of wrath and juſtice upon him, gave him up to the bitterneſſe of death, and lockt him up in the priſon of the grave, till hee had paid the uttermoſt farthing of our debt.

See here how in this myſtery mercy and truth are met together, righteouſneſſe and peace (in this Child and in this Sonne) kiſſe each other. Behold how the wiſedome and the power, the juſtice and the grace of Almighty God all worke together, and proclaime with loud voyce, Glory to God on high. And theſe make up the firſt part of the Angels ſong.

The ſecond part of their ſong proclaimes good will unto men, and declares the unſpeakable good which by this myſtery they receive, and there are five great bleſſings and benefits which they receive by it.

1 Firſt, the ennobling of their natures: what an honour is this to our fleſh to be taken into union with the divine nature in the perſon of the Sonne of God? What an exaltation is this of our nature, that the Prince of Glory ſhould vouchſafe to cloth him ſelfe with it, and in it to appeare and converſe among the ſonnes of men? but how much more that in it hee hath victoriouſly triumphed over ſinne, death, hell, and the grave, that in it he is aſcended into heaven, and there ſitteth on the right hand of the Father, & in that part of our fleſh which hee tooke hath taken poſſeſſion of heaven for us, and (in our names) of the heavenly manſions which hee hath purchaſed and provided for us? Quid eſt homo? Lord what is man that thou ſhouldeſt thus conſider him, Pſal. 8 4. or the ſonne of man that thou ſhouldeſt thus regard him? thou haſt made him little lower then the Angels. Nay in this reſpect higher then the Angels, for he tooke not upon him the nature of Angels, Heb • but hee tooke upon him the nature of Adam, the ſeed of Abraham: hence ariſes a nearer affinity (conſanguinity rather) betweene Chriſt and us, then is between Chriſt and the Angels, he becoming fleſh of our fleſh, and bone of our bone, by this are wee made ſonnes of God, brethren of Chriſt, and coheirs with him of an Inheritance in glory.Gen. 2 23. Epheſ. 5.30 This is an high priviledge, and a great benefit which wee receive by this myſtery. The enobling of our natures. And

2 The ſecond is like unto this: The enabling of our natures to gratious and ſpirituall performances of holy and heavenly duties; for by vertue of this union of our natures with his, and his with ours, th • re flowes from him into us an influence of grace, by which he (through his ſpirit) lives in us, and workes in us, by which he informes, actuates, and animates us, as the ſoule doth the body, of which it is the forme; hence followes the enabling of our natures to holy and ſpirituall performances; by vertue of this influence of grace, & of Chriſt by his ſpirit living in us, and working in us, we are enabled to live that life which is according to godlineſſe, to mortifie our corruptions, to deny our ſelves with all our corrupt luſts and paſſions, to crucifie the fleſh, to deſpiſe the world with all the corruptions that are in it through luſt, to doe and to ſuffer for his name, above the power of nature by a higher power and principle of grace received from above. This is a ſecond benefit derived unto us from this myſtery.

3. The third is an intereſt in the Lord Jeſus, and with him in all that is his, in all his righteouſneſſe, merits, holineſſe, obedience, in all that he hath done and ſuffered for us, it is all ours, wee have a right in it, for from this union of our natures, there followes a Communion, and a common intereſt betweene us, of all that we have or are (which is communicable) by vertue of this union our ſinnes are laid upon him, and hee hath ſatisfied for them, and (on the other ſide) his righteouſneſſe is imputed unto us, and wee are juſtified by it. The Lord Jeſus by infuſing his ſpirit into us makes us2 Pet. 1.4. Joh. 5. partakers of the divine nature: The admirable manner by ashich the uniō between Chriſt and his Church is wrought. and againe, himſelfe taking our fleſh upon him becomes partaker of our nature, and ſo there growes a neare union betweene us, he is ours, and we are his, he in us, and wee in him; as the vine with the branches, the husband with the wife, the body with the members are one, ſo Chriſt and thoſe that are of Chriſt are one,Eph • ſ. 5.30. nay (with holy reverence be it ſpoken) wee are himſelfe, the expreſſion is high, but it is his owne, at leaſt breath'd from his owne ſpirit, 1 Corin. 12.12. As the body is one, 1 Cor. 12.12. and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, even ſo is CHRIST: marke this Scripture well, it containes in it a truth more pretious then the gold of Ophir: the union (ſhould I ſay) nay more, the Identity of Chriſt with his Church, they make but one body: For the word Chriſt here in the text (as is clear by the context) doth not repreſent unto us Chriſt as a perſon, but is nomen collectivum, a collective name, comprehending in it,The Identitie of Chriſt with the Church. together with himſelfe his whole Church, with every child and member of the ſame, all making up but one body, even ſo is Chriſt, where (as if they were himſelfe) and he not himſelfe without them, ſee how hee vouchſafeth them his owne name, Even ſo is Chriſt: ſo hee calls them, and ſo hee counts them Oh the happineſſe and ſecurity of the poore Saints in this reſpect, they are rich enough, happy enough, when he is theirs who is the fountaine of all happineſſe, In whom are hidden all the treaſures of wiſedome, and godlineſſe, and from whoſe fulneſſe, as at the well-head, they all receive grace for grace.

4 The fourth benefit derived unto us out of this myſtery, is in the ſympathy that hence ariſeth betweene Chriſt and thoſe that belong unto him, for from this union and myſticall marriage of our natures together, there followes a ſympathy betweene him and us, whereby that which is done to the one, is done to the other alſo, whether it be good or evill, he that receiveth you receiveth me, Matth. 10.40. & he that diſpiſeth you deſpiſeth me, ſaith the Lord to, and of, the leaſt of thoſe little ones which belong to him, Luke 10. You cannot give a cup of cold water to a Diſciple, under the name of a Diſciple, but Chiſt thanks you for it, as if you had given it unto him. For in as much as you did it to the leaſt of theſe little ones, you did it unto mee, Matth. 25 40. Matth. 25. Againe, you cannot offer the leaſt wrong or injury to any of them, but hee will taxe you for it, as if you had offered it to him too. If Saul be travelling to Damaſcus with commiſſion to perſecute the members, the head lookes downe from heaven and complaines 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou mee? Act. 9. not mine, but mee, becauſe mee in mine, thou woundeſt mee through their ſides. Oh that this ſympathy were reciprocall in us too, that the ſame mind were in us towards Chriſt Jeſus, which is in him towards us, that we could be ſenſible of the wrong, and diſhonour that is done unto him daily, as if it were done immediately unto our ſelves, ſo it was with the holy Prophet. The rebukes of them that fell upon thee fell upon mee And,Pſal. 69 9. do not I hate them that hate thee? even as if they were mine enemies? Yes,Pſal. 139.21. I beare him witneſſe hee did, and for thoſe that loved and feared the Lord, hee loved them as well, and that eonomine, and qua tales, for that very cauſe, and in that reſpect, becauſe they did love,Pſal 16.3. and feare the Lord. Oh that we had that witneſſe within our ſelve that we did regard the cauſe of God, and the honour of God as this Prophet did, and that wee did ſhew our love to God, by taking to heart the wrongs and diſhonours that are daily done unto him (in his Church, his Children, his Cauſe, his Ordinances, his Names, his Sabbaths, in all thar is deare unto him) as if it were done unto our ſelves, the Lord would ſurely take it very well at our hands, and reward that pious affection ſeven-fold into our boſomes.

5 Laſtly, heres a ground of reverent boldneſſe, & child-like confidence in our approaches to the throne of Grace, we can not draw neare to God, nor looke upon him in his Majeſtie, but wee ſhall be oppreſſed by his glory (No man can ſee mee and live) but to God incarnate,Exod. 33 20. to God manifeſted in the fleſh, wee may, and live: wee cannot looke upon the body of the Sunne in his brightneſſe, but it will hurt our eyes to behold it, but wee may looke upon it in the water without danger: behold Chriſt in the fleſh is the Charactet of the Glory of the Father, Heb. 1.3. and the expreſſe Image of his perſon: through him wee may behold him, through him we have acceſſe unto him; and if we dare not be too bold with the Sonne, yet let us looke upon the Child, inviting us to the throne of grace, to partake of the plenty of his Fathers Court.

Behold what a treaſury of Grace and Glory is here contained in this myſtery, what pretious priviledges we receive by it! what wonderfull fruits, and effects are brought forth by this wonderfull deſigne, all ſuitable to the greatneſſe of the meanes, by which they were wrought, and the high honour and dignity of the perſons which acted in it: no leſſe then the wiſedome of the whole Trinity, was ſet aworke in laying the plot, and contriving this great buſineſſe, no worſe then the Sonne of God himſelfe in his owne perſon, imployed in the executing of it, and where there was ſuch a Councell Table to deliberate and to reſolve, and ſuch a perſon to execute, needs muſt the effects of both be high and glorious, ſuitable to the honour, greatneſſe, wiſedome, and power of the high perſons exerciſed in the producing of them, and ſo (you ſee) they are.

LLet no man then for ever hereafter reproach the Chriſtian religion, with the meanneſſe,Concluſio. or deſpicableneſſe of him that was the founder of it. Let no man object unto us the humanity, nor the humility of our Mediatour, when wee ſee for what glorious purpoſes he was content to ſtoope ſo low, and what pretious grace he hath obtained and purchaſed unto his Church in ſo doing.

Let not the Jewe ſtumble at the Croſſe of Chriſt, by telling us that we beleeve in a crucified God: nor let the Atheiſt ſtumble at the Cradle of Chriſt by telling us we embrace a Child for our God.Neſtorius his Blaſphemy. Nor let Neſtorius reproach us with our bimeſtris aut trimeſtris Deus, a God of two or three months old, as hee blaſpemouſly calls him. If the Child ſeeme little in your eyes behold the Sonne, if the Cradle offend you, behold the Starre, if the Croſſe offend you, behold the Heavens without a Sunne, and the Starres withold their ſhining at the ſpectacle. And be not faithleſſe but believe, and you ſhall ſee greater things then theſe. You ſhall ſee this Sonne of man comming in the clouds, Matth 25. with 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 power and great glory. Now you ſee him in the Cradle, then you ſhall ſee him in a fiery Chariot, riding upon the wings of the wind: now he came in Virgine, then hee ſhall come in Libra, with a ballance in one hand to weigh the actions of the ſonnes of men, and a two edged ſword in the other, to cut them off, and to be avenged on his enemies, now he came attended with a few fiſhermen, and others of the meaner ſort that followed him: but then he ſhall come attended with thouſands and thouſands of thouſands of Angels, and Arch-Angels: now he came in humility, then he ſhall come in glory; now he came to be judged, but then he ſhall come to judge both quick and dead, yea to judge even them that judged him: & the ſouldiers ſhall looke upon him whom they have pierced;Zach: 11. and the Jew ſhall looke upon him whom they have rejected, and the Arrians, Eunomians, Ebionites, Corinthians, Photinians, Socinians, and Mohomitans, ſhall looke upon him whom they have denyed, and deſpiſed, and ſhall be confounded, when they ſhall ſee him now armed with power and authority, to be avenged on them for their contempts, and injuries done to him and his for his ſake: And thoſe that have confeſſed him, ſhall ſay unto them, by way of reproach and inſultation, Behold yee deſpiſers and wonder, and periſh. Act. 13.41. Luk: 19.27. And the King ſhall ſay unto them, as ſometimes to thoſe Rebels in the Goſpell, Thoſe that would not that I ſhould raigne over them, bring them hither, and ſlay them before my face.

Pſal. 2.12.Oh then kiſſe the Sonne leſt hee be angry, and ſo ye periſh, embrace the Child in the arms of your faith, and beſt affections,Ambroſe. that ſo hereafter he may embrace you in the armes of his mercy, Infans eſt, noli timere; filius, noli ſpernere: Behold he is a Child, that you ſhould not be afraid to draw neare unto him; and a Sonne, that you may not diſpiſe him. Let the meditation of the former raiſe in you hope and confidence, and of the latter beget in you feare and reverence, and both together that ſaving comfort, ſound joy, and ſettled peace, that flowes from your reconciliation with God, and your adoption to the honour to become the Sonnes of God, brethren to this Child, and coheires with this Sonne, of an inheritance in glory, the very end of this his Child-hood, and of this his Sonſhip; the very end why he was borne to us, and given for us. Lord let him have his end in us, that we may have our fruit in him, even the end of our hopes; the ſalvation of our ſoules in bliſſe, and glory that never ſhall have end. Amen.

Firſt, The Child is borne.

That is was neceſſary that our Mediatour ſhould be made man it is confeſt, and we have ſhewed the reaſons of it: but why A Child? why borne of a woman? why to be conceived in the wombe? this is much more, and ſurely there is more of the myſtery in it, which yet we have not diſcovered when the firſt Adam was created he was made A man, not A child; created, not begotten; A man in full ſtrength and perfection of life, and ſo was excuſed all the impotencies and imperfections of Childhood and infancy. And when the ſecond Adam came to repaire, and to reſtore what he had loſt, was it not reaſonable, and agreeable to his type that hee ſhould be made a man too in perfect ſtate, ſtature, and perfection of life as the firſt was, and ſo have beene abated all thoſe parts of his ſufferings, and degrees of his humiliation, which in the wombe, and from the wombe in his childhood and infancy hee paſt through, muſt he needs become A Child, be conceived in the wombe, and borne? what was the reaſon of this?

Yes ſurely there was reaſon for it,Reaſons why it was neceſſary Chriſt ſhould not onely be made man but borne a Child. nay there was a neceſſity of it, it muſt needs be ſo, and I will give you in three Reaſon for it.

1 The firſt concernes the poſterity of Adam in generall.

2 The ſecond concernes the daughters of Eve more ſpecially.

3 And the the third concernes the infants that are borne of them, and iſſue from them both.

1 Firſt in reſpect of the poſterity of Adam in generall, it was neceſſary that our Mediatour ſhould become a Child, be conceived in the wombe, and borne.Pſal. 51. That he might begin the cure of our diſeaſe where our diſeaſe it ſelfe begins, and that is in the very wombe. Behold (ſaies the Prophet David,) I was conceived in ſinne, and borne in iniquity, Pſal. 51. Our bleſſed Lord becomming our Mediatour, and undertaking to ſatisfie the juſtice of God for this ſinne, and to cure us of ſo grievous a diſeaſe that layes hold on us in the very wombe is faine to deſcend into the wombe of a daughter of Eve, there to take our nature upon him and there to be conceived though without ſinne, and of her to be borne, but without iniquity, a pure birth that ſo by the purity of his humane nature imputed unto us the impurity of ours may be cured and cleanſed, and that by his Originall righteouſneſſe, our originall ſin may be done away. There is beloved if you marke it,A method obſerved by the ſecond Adam in curing the evils we receive from the firſt. and I pray do, for it is well worth your marking, and much comfort ſhall you reap by it when you apprehend it aright) There is I ſay A method obſerved by the ſecond Adam in curing the evills which we have received from the firſt, it is a methodicall cure, wherein the ſecond Adam hath trac't the firſt ſtep, by ſtep, and where ever he ſaw that he had wounded us, he prouided to heale us, and prepared for us a remedy proportionable to our malady a ſalve ſuitable to the ſore and proper for the cure of it. To ſhew you this a little more plainly.

There are three things wherein the firſt Adam hath deadly and deſperately wounded his poſterity.

Firſt, by depraving their natures, this is that which is called Originall ſinne, the corruption and depravation of our natures from that which we were by creation, by this hee ſtruck us dead in the very wombe, by this we are wicked as ſoone as we are, even before we have done good or evill, wicked in the very roote, becauſe wee have in us a principle of all wickedneſſe, and ſo become children of wrath by nature, miſerable from the very cradle, from the very wombe, even in our conception.

The ſecond thing wherein hee undid us was, by breaking Covenant with God in failing in the performance of the condition of it which ſaid thus fac hoc & vives, doe this and thou ſhalt live, and ſo breaking the Commandement in the mandatory part of it, be forfeited to himſelfe and his, all that life, and happineſſe which upon the condition of obedience was made over to him and them.

And the third was by his actuall rebellion againſt God, and poſitive diſobedience, by which he deſperately brake the Commandement in the minatory part of it, which ſaid, In quo die comederis morte morieris, in the day that thou eateſt thou ſhalt die the death and ſo made us liable to all the miſeries of this life, and of that which is to come. By his privative diſobedience breaking the holy Comandement, in the mandatory part of it he forfeited to himſelfe and us the inheritance of Paradiſe, our right and title to the Kingdome of Heaven, but by his poſitive diſobedience, tranſgreſſing the holy Law and Commandement in the minatory part of it, he hath plung'd us all into the loweſt hell. Now for the relieving of us in all theſe deſperate evils, was our Lord faine to provide for us ſuitable remedies, and to apply each of them to that malady for the cure whereof, it was moſt proper, and ſo he did, though they coſt him deare. For,

1 Firſt for the cure of our Originall ſinne he applies his Originall righteouſneſſe, that he may punctually ſatisfie the juſtice of God for the depravation of our natures, the ſinne wherein wee are conceived and borne, himſelfe is conceived by the holy Ghoſt, and borne of the Virgin Mary, that he may begin the cure of our diſeaſe, where our diſeaſe begins, in the very wombe, even thither is hee content to deſcend, and there to take our nature upon him, that in his perſon our natures might be ſanctified, and our birth-ſinne cured and done away.

2 Secondly, for relieving of us in the ſecond of theſe evills, our failing in performance of the condition of the Covenant of workes he applyes unto us his active obedience, by which he fulfilled the Law for us in every part and particle of it in the dayes of his fleſh, that ſo by this his obedience imputed unto us he might punctually ſatisfie the Juſtice of God for all our failings, and ſins of omiſſion, and ſo reſtore us againe to our right and title to the Kingdom of heaven our forfeited inheritance.

3 And for the relieving of us in the third, the tranſgreſſion of the Law and holy Commandement in the minatory part, by actuall ſinnes and poſitive diſobedience hee applyes unto us his paſſive obedience, himſelfe bearing our ſinnes in his body upon the tree, and by his death taking off from us that ſentence of death that was gone out againſt us: By this his paſſive obedience he hath ſatisfied the law in the minatory part of it, and by his active in the mandatory. by his paſſive obedience he hath ſatisfied the juſtice of God for all our ſins of Commiſſion, and by his active for all our failings and our ſins of omiſſion, by his paſſive obedience he hath freed us A poena ſenſus, from the puniſhment of paine, and by his active A poena damni, from the puniſhment of loſſe, by his paſſive obedience he hath reſcued us out of the jawes of hell, and by his active he hath opened unto us the gate of heaven, his paſſive obedience was ſatisfactory, and his active meritorious: And thus by theſe three parts of his obedience, the obedience of his birth, the obedience of his life, and the obedience of his death, by the obedience of his birth in his incarnation, of his life in his holy converſation, and of his death in his paſſion, hee hath fulfilled for us all righteouſneſſe, he is become unto us A perfect Saviomr, and hath wrought out for us plentifull redemption. Had the ſonne of God come downe from Heaven to earth, and here beene made man for us, & taken our nature upon him in a body created, as Adams was, and in that body liv'd amongſt us as long as he did, and during all that time by his moſt holy converſation (perfectly fulfilled the Law for us, and performed the condition of the Covenant of workes in our behalfe, yet he had not wrought out for us plentifull redemption, he had by this his active obedience, onely fulfilled the Law in the mandatory part of it, and ſo ſatisfied the juſtice of God for our ſinnes of omiſſion, but ſtill he had left us open to the juſtice and wrath of God for our ſinnes of Commiſſion, and for our tranſgreſſions of the law in the minatory part of it, and ſo left us to the curſe of it, even death and damnation. Had hee not onely ſo fulfilled the law for us by his active obedience in the dayes of his life, but in the end thereof laid downe his life for us, and ſhed his blood for the ranſome of our ſoules, yet he had not wrought out for us plentifull redemption, hee had indeed by this his paſſive obedience ſatisfied the juſtice of God for all our ſinnes of commiſſion too, and by fulfilling the Law in the minatory part of it, cleared us of all our tranſgreſſions committed againſt it, but ſtill hee had left us indebted unto God, and in danger of his wrath and juſtice for the ſinne of our nature, our radicall pravitie, and originall corruption in which wee are conceived and borne, but that he might cleare us of this ſin alſo and ſo become unto us a perfect Saviour and worke out for us Plentifull redemption, it was neceſſary that hee ſhould be incarnate that in the very wombe hee ſhould take our nature upon him, and be borne of a woman, without ſinne, that ſo by the purity of his humane nature imputed unto us, the impurity of ours might be cured, and that in his perſon, our natures might be ſanctified in the wombe, and from the wombe.

And ſo by grace derived from theſe three parts in the obedience of the ſecond Adam we are perfectly cured of all the evill wee receaved from the firſt, by the merit of his incarnation in his holy birth by his active obedience in his holy life, and of his paſſive obedience in his bitter death and paſſion hee hath, fulfilled for us all righteouſneſſe, he is become unto us a perfect Saviour, and hath wrought out for us plentifull redemption. And this was the firſt reaſon why it was neceſſary that our Mediator ſhould not onely be made man, but borne a child.

The ſecond reaſon of this part and paſſage in the obedience of our Mediatour, and of this ſo low degree of his humiliation, reſpects the Woman, more eſpecially even Eve with all her daughters, for their ſakes more peculiarly, and unto them, and of them was he borne, that by his birth hee might repaire them in a loſſe, and recover them out of a danger into which beyond and aboue the man they had caſt themſelves by being firſt in the tranſgreſſion.

If you heedfully obſerve the ſtory of the fall compared with other Scriptures commenting upon it, you will finde it to be ſo:Gen. 3. if you read but the proceſſe made againſt her, and the doome pronounc't upon her at the day of her tryall, you will finde a heavier charge againſt her, and a greater burthen laid upon her, then upon Adam was laid: but waving that, the Scripture upon which this reaſon is grounded is that famous place of St Paul to Timothy, 1. Tim. 2.16. verſ. 1.2.16. Yet nevertheleſse through child-bearing ſhe ſhall be ſavd if they continue in Faith and Charity with holineſſe and ſobroetie, which becauſe it is a very intricate Scripture one of thoſe which are hard to be underſtood, and ſo generally miſtaken by moſt men, ſo few have attained to the true meaning of it, I will take ſome paines to examine it, and to finde; it out both for my own and others ſatisfaction which that I may doe, I muſt intreat you to looke back with me to 2. or 3. verſes going before, there you ſhall finde the Apoſtle had laid 2 heavy yokes upon her, Silence and Subiection, V. 11. And that you may know what ſilence he meanes, in the next verſe hee interprets himſelfe and tells you he meanes ſilence as tis put in oppoſition to teaching, or publique preaching. I permit not a woman to teach (though I ſee not but by the grounds upon which moſt men take upon them to teach now adaies ſhe hath as good a licence to teach as any of them all, and that is (meerely the inward calling) or at leaſt a conceipt of it, but St Paul that had reaſon to knowe their gifts of ability well enough, and their deſire to exerciſe them in the Church yet directly ſilences them as to this intent, ſhe that preacht ſuch falſe doctrine to her husband as whereby ſhe had undone us all, he thinks it fit ſhe ſhould be ſilence't from ever preaching more. I permit not a woman to teach, but let her be ſilent. 2ly Subiection I permit not the woman to uſurp authority over the man, in the ſame verſe, if ſhe doe tis uſurpation, ſhee hath no right ſo to doe. Therefore let her be ſilent, and let her be ſubiect, v. 11.12. But verſe 14. the Apoſtle ſhews the reaſon why the Lord laid this heavy burthen upon her, and that was the deepneſſe of her guilt in the matter of the firſt and great tranſgreſſion. For Adam was not in the tranſgreſſion, but Eve being deceived was in the tranſgreſſion, that is comparatiuely nothing ſo deeply as ſhee was, hee was in it but as acceſſary ſhe was the principall, for firſt ſhee ſeduced him & ſo became an Agent for Satan to prevaile with her husband to doe that which himſelfe was confident he could never have perſwaded him too. 2ly, She was firſt in the tranſgreſsion. A grievous aggravation, if rightly conſidered, for the meaning of it is ſhe was firſt in the tranſgreſsiō, not only becauſe ſhe firſt gave her conſent to Satan tempting her, nor becauſe ſhe tempted her husband to doe the like, who of himſelfe had no ſuch thoughts nor deſires that we read of till ſhe ſuggeſted them, but ſhee was firſt in the tranſgreſſion, becauſe ſhe did firſt actually eat of the forbidden fruit without the conſent of her hurband, or knowledge either, for ſure enough the iubtle Serpent watcht the advantage of ſuch an opportunity to attempt her in the abſence of her huſband whom he might well imagine would have prevented her tranſgreſsion and given her better counſell, & what a grievous errour was this in her to adventure upon ſuch a fact of ſo infinite conſequence as this was upon which depended the everlaſting weale or woe of her ſelfe and all her poſterity after her; without the knowledge or conſent of her huſband, who might have given her better counſell, and whoſe adviſe in all reaſon ſhe ſhould have deſired, but ſhe ſtaid not for that ſhe hearkned to the Serpent promiſing high things unto her to enſue upon her eating and ſhe believed him, and ſo without ever acquainting him with it, ſhe eat of it, ſhee was firſt in the tranſgreſsion, this as it was the aggravation of her ſin ſo it might be ſome extenuation to Adams ſinne, who did therein but ſecond what ſhe had done before, for by her eating, the Covenant was broken, the law tranſgreſſed, and though Adam had not eaten at all yet ſhe had done enough to undoe us all at leaſt her ſelfe and all her daughters which were involved in the tranſgreſsion with her and with whom they all ſtood and fell;

Vpon theſe aggravations the Lord doth not only lay upon her theſe burthens before mentioned, but the Apoſtle in this Text which I have under hand intimates a greater danger, which ſhe had caſt her ſelfe into then all they amount unto, even into danher of periſhing everlaſtingly, Eve by her tranſgreſſon caſt all her daughters into farre greater danger then Adam did his Sonnes. what elſe meanes this adverſative here in the Text nevertheleſſe. Nevertheleſſe (through child-bearing ſhe ſhall be ſaved. It ſhews plainly that if God had not found out a remedy for her, if God of his goodneſſe had not provided a meanes whereby ſhe might be relieved in this dangerous caſe ſhe could not have beene ſaved.

Hence hath ariſen the queſtion whether Eve were ſaved or no, and from that another touching the ſtate of all her ſexe for her ſake, the opening of this Text ſhall cleare them both.

That both Adam and Eve our firſt parents were ſaved, we nothing doubt, yea Origen and ••• iphanius have recorded it that after Adam had finiſhed his daies on earth, and was returned to his duſt from whence he was taken, he was buried in mount Calvary in the very place whereabout 4000 yeares after the Croſſe was ſet on which Chriſt the ſecond Adam was crucified. A wonderfull providence (if true) Vt primus virtutem ſanguinis Chriſti ſentiret, Origen. qui primus peccati author fuerit, that he might firſt taſt the power and vertue of Chriſts blood which was firſt cauſe of ſhedding it and what fitter objects for the Lord Ieſus on which to ſhew his power to ſave,Epiphan. then thoſe very perſons on whom Satan had uſed all his skill, and power to deſtroy. But the queſtion is not ſo much whether they were ſaved, as how, and this not ſo much of the Man as of the Woman for the reaſons before mentioned. And the Apoſtle tells you in this Text, how, he ſaies it ſhall be by Child-bearing. Yet nevertheleſſe by or through Child-bearing ſhe ſhall be ſaved.

But what child-bearing he here meanes is ſtill the Quaere,

The moſt Authors that I have conſulted in this matter (and I have conſulted not a few) concieve it to be underſtood of theſe two things.

1 Of the ſore paine and travaile which women indure in chid-bearing, which being laid upon them as a puniſhment for this their tranſgreſſion by enduring it with patience in the acknowledgment of their offence that brought it upon them they make ſome amends for that which they had done amiſſe, and ſatisfaction for their tranſgreſſion, ſo Cornelius à Lapide and thoſe of his ſtrayne.

2ly, Others extend it not only to bearing of children, but eſpecially to breeding up of Children in the feare of God, and nurture of the Lord, becauſe in the next words tis ſaid (if they continue in faith and love with holineſſe, & ſobrietie, which they underſtand as required of the Children which they beare bred up in theſe gratious waies by their care, and ſo by this meanes they ſhall be ſaved; So Danaeus & others both equally miſtaken, neither in the one nor in the other have they hit the Apoſtles meaning, 1. Tim. 16. interpreted and cleered. examine it a litle and you ſhall ſee whether they have or no.

For if the extraordinary paines which women endure be a kinde of amends, and ſatisfaction for their extraordinary tranſgreſſion, then what doe we by this doctrine but eſtabliſh a Purgatory, and ſet out a way of ſatisfying for ſin and meriting life and ſalvation by doing and ſuffering? Moreover, if child bearing in this ſenſe be the ſoveraigne remedy of recovering that ſexe out of the danger they have brought upon themſelves by that great tranſgreſsion and the meanes whereby they ſhall be ſaved, what ſhall become of the barren wombe that beares not, or of maidens that knowe not man? Surely upon this account the caſe of Harlots, and Strumpets were better then theirs; but to finde out the Apoſtles meaning, here we muſt finde out another child-bearing, ſuch as all the daughters of Eve have a ſhare in, ſuch as in which the barren as well as the bearing wombe, the maiden that never knew man as well as the married wife hath an equall intereſt.

This place therefore may be beſt expounded by another place of the ſame Apoſtles. Gal. 3:16. Gal. 3. Where the Apoſtle diſcourſing of the promiſe of God to Abraham. Gen. 22.18. In thy ſeed ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed, excellently obſerves: This is not ſpoken to his ſeeds as of many, but as of one unto thy ſeed which is Chriſt: By the like analogy, as Paul here interprets Moſes, ſo wil I interpret Paul, he ſaith not in this place the woman ſhall be ſaved by bearing of Children as ſpeaking of many, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : through her child-birth, or child-bearing as meaning one, which one is Chriſt the very Child in my Text, the Child Ieſus.

But if this be ſo why was not the mentioning of the Child enough, by the Child ſhe ſhall be ſaved,It is uſuall with the Hebrews to put the abſtract for the concrete, Child-bearing for the Child-borne, or the child which ſhe ſhould beare what need any mention of the bearing of it by Child-bearing? ſhe ſhall be ſaved?

Yes there is ſomething in that too, there is an emphaſis in that, even by the bearing of the Child doth the woman gaine not only honour and reputatation above the man, but reparation in her loſſe and comfort after her fall ſuitable to the danger ſhe had fallen into▪ by this her Child-birth ſhee receives more grace from him, and hath a neerer relation to him and intereſt in the Saviour of the world then the man hath, and this the Scripture takes ſpeciall notice of, and often mentions for her conſolation. Gen. 3.15. Semen mulieris, the ſeed of the woman ſhall breake the Serpents head, not ſo of the man, he did not ſo much as ſhare with her in this honour. Gal. 4.4. In the fulneſſe of time God ſent his Sonne made of a woman, not of a man, the firſt woman was made of a man, now by a contrary way of generation, this man, this bleſſed Child in whom all the nations of the earth are bleſſed, was made of a woman, even of one of the daughters of Eve, the Virgin Mary: ſo that as in the firſt Eve conceiving ſinne all the whole ſex and race of her daughters miſcarried, ſo in the ſecond Eve (as I may ſay) conceiving in her wombe, and bearing in her body the Saviour of the world,sA the firſt Eve conceiving ſin brought forth death, So the ſecond Eve conceiving the Saviour brought forth life. they are all repar'd, and reſtor'd againe. As ſhee (by being firſt in the tranſgreſſion, caſt all her daughters into a more deſperate condition then Adam did his ſonnes, ſo God found out a more ſoveraigne remedy for her by which ſhe receives more grace from Chriſt, and challenges a neerer relation to and intereſt in the Saviour of the world then he can claime: from her ſubſtance, did he take that fleſh which hee offered up in ſacrifice to God for us, from her body did he take that blood which he ſhed for the redemption of the world, he could truly call a woman his mother, but no man living his Father, as Adam once ſaid to Eve, Thou art fleſh of my fleſh, and bone of my bone, ſo could the ſecond Eve, in whom all the daughters of the firſt are repair'd and reſtor'd, ſay to to the Saviour of the world, Thou art fleſh of my fleſh, and bone of my bone, unto all the which relations the man is a ſtranger, and ſhares not with her in the honour of them.

See how the goodneſſe of God for the comfort of that ſexe againſt this their grievous fall hath provided a remedy ſuitable to their maladie, a meaſure of conſolation anſwerable to their dejection, a ground of hope agreeable to their feares & doubts, a reparation proportionable to their loſſe, if they were firſt in the tranſgreſſion, they are likewiſe firſt in being inſtrumentall in the meanes of our ſalvation if they were deepeſt in the guilt of the prevarication they were faireſt for the meanes of their reparation. Through Child-bearing ſhe ſhall be ſaved.

For this cauſe was this child the ſeed the woman. Gen. 3.15. Made of a Woman, Gai. 4, 4. Borne of a Woman, Math. 1. and that ſexe may ſay after a more peculiar manner then the man may, Vnto us, yea of us, and for us, this Child is borne.

That other condition which followes in this Text, If they continue in faith, and love with holineſſe, and ſobriety, is not to be referred to the children that are to be borne of the Woman, but to the woman her ſelfe, upon whom theſe duties are eſpecially charged as cautions or preſervatives to keepe her from ever falling into the like ſinne againe, as you ſhall heare anon: but that they are not to bee underſtood here as charg'd upon her children is cleare by this, that they are charged as conditions upō which ſhe is to be ſaved, now if to this intent the conditions here mentioned be charged upon thē then by this doctrine may Parents be ſaved by the holineſſe and righteouſneſſe of their children which is cleane contrary to the exact juſtice of God revealed in Scripture which ſaith iuſtus ſua fide vivet, the iuſt ſhall live by his owne faith.

Beſides we have knowne many gracious women which have done their beſt in this way to bring up their children in faith, and love, in holineſſe and ſobrietie, which yet have not proved ſuch, and contrariwiſe we could inſtance in ſome carnall, lewd, and ungodly women, whoſe children have proved gracious cōtinuing in faith with love, &c. And yet neither hath the graciouſneſſe of theſe profited, nor the graceleſneſſe of the other prejudic't to the ſaving or not ſaving of their mothers that bare them, therefore this charge in this place referres not to the children that are borne but to the woman that beares them.

All the difficulty will be how we ſhall reconcile this ſeeming incongruity betweene the 2 pronouns ſhee and they, ſhee ſhall bee ſaved if they continue, how can theſe two in grammaticall conſtruction be refer'd to the ſame as underſtood of the ſame perſon or perſons?

For ſatisfying of this doubt conſider theſe three things.

1 Firſt divers Greek copies have it in the ſingular number, ſo Muſculas, and ſo Theophilact reads it ſo Danaeus, and others, ſi permanſerit, if ſhee continue, not they, and if that reading be currant there is no farther queſtion at all in the matter.

2 But be it ſo, that the latter Pronoune & Verbe be of the plurall number, it is uſuall with the Hebrews to joyne ſingulars and pluralls together, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Dii creavit in which is the myſtery of the Trinity. in the two very firſt words of the holy Bible, you have ſuch an expreſſion.

3 But that which is ſatisfactory beyond exception is this that the firſt pronoune ſhe, though it be of the ſingular number, yet is of plurall ſignification, nomen multitudinis, a name of multitude, ſuch as Turba ruunt, collectivum á collective pronounce, comprehending in it not only Eve, but all woman kinde, all her whole ſexe and race deſcended from her, and ſo is aequivalent and of as large extent as they in the next word, ſhe, that is Eve with all her daughters, all her ſexe, all the whole race of womankind deſcēded frō her ſhall be ſaved, If they continue in the faith and loue, with holineſſe and ſobriety. And that this charge concernes the woman more peculiarly it further appeares by the ſuitablenes of it to the ſin by which ſhe had tranſgreſt, the foure duties here enjoyned being directly oppoſite to the foure ſinnes by which in her firſt and great tranſgreſſion ſhe had offended, her firſt ſinne was unbeliefe, God had ſaid in the day that ſhe did eat of that fruit, ſhe ſhould dye, the Devill told her ſhe ſhould not dye at all, and ſhe believes him rather then God, ſhe was an unbelieving ſoule, therefore the firſt duty charg'd upon her is Faith, if they continue in faith, the 2d fin was in violating the law of love which ſhe ow'd both to God and to her husband, ſhe ſlighted them both and adher'd to the Serpent as her better friend, and therefore the next duty charg'd upon her is Love, if ſhe continue in love. Her third ſinne was againſt the rules of holineſſe, ſhe defiled her ſelfe by touching and taſting that which being forbidden her, was to her polluted, and ſo by her grievous ſinne drew not only upon her ſelfe, but upon all hers, corruption of nature, which like the leproſie of Gehazi, cleaves to them & their poſterity for ever: and therefore the third duty enjoynd & charg'd upon her is holineſſe. Laſtly her fourth ſinne was intemperance, in that all the variety of the fruits in the Paradiſe of God which he had ſo graciouſly and bountifully allowd her, not only for neceſſity but for delight too, yet would not ſerve her turne, but whereas there were but two trees reſerv'd) her luxurious appetite muſt needs glut it ſelfe with them too, and therefore the fourth duty charged upon her is temperance or ſobrietie if they continue in faith and love with holineſse and ſobrietee, by all which duties directly oppoſite to the ſins whereby ſhe had tranſgreſt, the Apoſtle doth not onely put them in minde of thoſe ſinnes, that in remembrance of them they may be humbled and caution'd againſt the like ſinnes hereafter: but alſo admoniſheth them by the ſtudious and carefull practiſe of the contrary duties to make amends for their former folly, and to take a holy revenge of themſelves for their paſt error whereby they had ſo grievouſly offended.

And this is the ſecond reaſon enforcing the neceſſitie of the child-birth in my Text in reference to the woman and all women kinde, I have beene ſomething large in opening this Scripture upon which this reaſon is grounded in regard of the difficulty of it, and for juſtifying this interpretation and cleering it of thoſe obje & ions which might ſeeme to queſtion it, wherein I hope I have given you ſome reaſonable ſatisfaction.

3. The third reaſon for which it was neceſſary this child ſhould be borne reſpects infants, and children more peculiarly: for infants ſakes did he become an infant, for childrens ſakes was hee content become a child; that by his birth hee might merit for them their New-birth, hee was borne, that they might be borne againe. That from his very conception, and incarnation they might draw virtue, and derive grace to their ſpirituall regeneration, and in his perſon their natures might be ſanctified in the very wombe: That in him the Lord might become not only the God of beleevers, but of their ſeed alſo, that the promiſe made to thē, and to their childrē by this means might be made good, & they made capable of receiving it, though as yet they knew him not, nor their right hand from their left. And this part of his humiliation (as for this end it was moſt neceſſary, ſo) for our comfort it was not obſcurely foreſhewed and preacht to the world by the Prophets of old. In the 49. of Geneſis, and the 10. verſe, we have a famous and ancient propheſie to this purpoſe. The ſcepter ſhall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet till Shiloh come. It is cleere by all the circumſtances in the Text, and by the fulfilling of the propheſie ſince (which is the beſt interpretation of it) that by this Shiloh is meant none other but the Meſſiah. Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour of the world, but why Shiloh, rather then the Meſſiah, Emanuel, or any other of his names by which he is in ſcripture made knowne unto us, why doth the Patriarch propheſie of him under ſo ſtrange a name? ſurely there is a myſtery in it, and if you conſult the Hebrew it will give you ſome light to the finding of it out. This word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with very little alteration either in ſenſe or ſound refers to a word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Shiliah. which in the originall ſignifies that part in a child-bearing woman which is called ſecundina, the After-birth, that filme which containes the Child in the womde after it is conceived, and wherein it is nouriſhed by the navell untill it be ripened for the birth, ſo that in this expreſſion there is a double figure; firſt by a Metonimy, naming the veſſell containing for that which is contained in it, by Shiloh here is ſignified a man child 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a ſonne and then by a ſynecdoche uſing a word more generall for that which is more particular and eminent in that kinde, by this childe is meant none other but the holy Child Ieſus, the Chriſt, the Meſſiah that was to come in whom this propheſie was evidently fulfilled. This is that then which in this propheſie is ſo remarkable, and ſpeaks home to out purpoſe, That this holy Prophet, and Patriarch propheſiing of this great Prince the Meſſiah and preaching to the world the Saviour thereof, hee doth not ſhew you Chriſt upon the Croſſe ſuffering for our ſinnes, nor Chriſt in the pulpit preaching to the world the doctrine of ſalvation; nor Chriſt working miracles, going about and doing good, though all theſe were neceſſary parts of his, obedience and performances of the office of his Mediatorſhip reſpectively, but hee propheſies of Chriſt in Shiloh, he points at Chriſt in Shiloh, he ſends you to Chriſt in Shiloh to Chriſt in the wombe, to Chriſt in his incarnation, to Chriſt in his conception, that you may knowe that you derive grace and vertue, not only from Chriſt crucified, but from Chriſt borne and incarnate, not onley from his death, but from his birth too, not onely from his blood which he ſhed for you, but even from the holy ſeed of which his body was formed for you not only from the Croſſe of Chriſt, but even from his cradle too, not only from his paſſion and crucifixion, but from his conception, and incarnation. Hence you ſhall obſerve that the holy penmen of our bleſſed Lords life and death, are as carefull and punctuall in giving you an account of his conception, and incarnation, as of his death and paſſion, conſult but the beginning of St Mathews Goſpell for the one, and of St Lukes for the other, & you ſhall finde it to be ſo. And the Apoſtolicall Creed teaches you and tells you, that it is not ſufficient that you knowe and believe that he was crucified for you under Pontius Pilate, but alſo that he was conceived for you by the holy Ghoſt, and born of the Virgin Mary. That the Infants even as yet unborne may have cauſe to praiſe him who out of a tender regard to them was content to take their nature and infirmities upon him in the wombe, that he might cure them: What once the Lord by way of reproach objected againſt his unthankfull people. Ezek. 16. that may he by way of magnifying his compaſſion toward theſe little ones moſt ſuitably apply to them word for word, ver. 3. Thy Father was an Amorite, and thy Mother an Hittite.

Verſ. 4. And in thy nativitie when thou waſt borne, thy navill was not cut, thou waſt not waſht with water to ſoften thee, thou waſt not ſalted with ſalt, nor ſwadled with clothes.

5 None eye pitied thee to doe any of theſe unto thee for to have compaſsion upon thee, but thou waſt caſt out in the open field to the contempt of thy perſon in the day that thou waſt borne.

6 And when I paſſed by thee I ſaw thee polluted in thine owne blood, And I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood I ſaid thou ſhalt live.

8 Now when I paſſed by thee, I had compaſsion on thee I ſpred my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſſe.

9 I waſhed thee with water, yea I waſhed away thy blood frous thee, I annointed thee with oyle, and I cloathed thee, &c.

This was their caſe, and this was their cure, and ſuch was his love to them and his compaſſion on them, that to the end he might effect it, he is content not only to be made man but to become a child too for their ſakes. And this is the third Reaſon why. Unto us, and unto them this Child is borne.