A plain Doctrine you will say, and well known to the meanest in this Congregation; be it so, yet it is fit to put you in remembrance of it, 2 Pet. 1.12, 13. Rom. 15.14, 15. 2 Tim. 2.8.

A plaine Doctrine you will say, and well known to the meanest in this Congregation; be it so, yet it is fit to put you in remembrance of it, 2 Pet. 1.12, 13. Rom. 15.14, 15. 2 Tim. 2.8.

But you will say unto me, Were it not much better to omit to speak of the person of Christ, and rather to speak of the benefits we receive by him, Justification, Adoption, Sanctification, by the Spirit of God, Faith, Hope, Love, Repentance? &c.

Take heed this be not one kind of spiritual Harlotry and adultery. If you should see a Virgin affianced to a man, to desire still to hear and speak of the gifts and presents he hath, and will bestow upon her, as Rings, Bracelets, Jewels, &c. and to have no mind at all to hear or speak of his person, would you not say she loved his gifts and his tokens more than himself? so here, if we find our souls affected to Christ (I would to God, yea it were the joy of my heart, if I could draw you to be in love with the Gifts and Graces of Christ, our hearts are dead and dull even at the mention of them, how much more at the mention of his person or nature) yet thou that hast tasted of his bountiful Gifts and Graces, be led on further, willingly to hear and speak of his person, (Cant. 5.9 When the Daughters of Jerusalem had asked of the Spouse of Christ, what her beloved was more than another's beloved? she in 8 verses following, enters into a long, and large, and lovely description, not of what he had given her, but of his person) especially seeing this part of his person, his human nature is an excellent gift of God to us, and the foundation of all the rest. Yea what Doctrine soever John teacheth us in this whole Epistle, tendeth to this end, that our joy may be full, which is a special benefit arising from all, Chap. 1.4. Now the manhood of Christ is proved by two reasons, First, By the Titles given to him. Secondly, By the properties of a man agreeing to him.

Take heed this be not one kind of spirituall Harlotry and adultery. If you should see a Virgin affianced to a man, to desire still to hear and speak of the gifts and presents he hath, and will bestow upon her, as Rings, Bracelets, Jewells, &c. and to have no minde at all to hear or speak of his person, would you not say she loved his gifts and his tokens more than himselfe? so here, if we find our souls affected to Christ (I would to God, yea it were the joy of my heart, if I could draw you to be in love with the Gifts and Graces of Christ, our hearts are dead and dull even at the mention of them, how much more at the mention of his person or nature) yet thou that hast tasted of his bountifull Gifts and Graces, be led on further, willingly to hear and speak of his person, (Cant. 5.9 When the Daughters of Jerusalem had asked of the Spouse of Christ, what her beloved was more than anothers beloved? she in 8 verses following, enters into a long, and large, and lovely description, not of what he had given her, but of his person) especially seeing this part of his person, his human nature is an excellent gift of God to us, and the foundation of all the rest. Yea what Doctrine soever John teacheth us in this whole Epistle, tendeth to this end, that our joy may be full, which is a speciall benefit arising from all, Chap. 1.4. Now the manhood of Christ is proved by two reasons, First, By the Titles given to him. Secondly, By the properties of a man agreeing to him.

Secondly, By the Properties of a Man agreeing to him, 1 Born of a Woman, Mat. 1. ult. 2 Hunger, Mat. 21.18. and with it thirst, John 19.28. 3. Weariness, John 4.6. 4 Grief and Sorrow, Isa. 53.3, 4, 10. Mat. 26.38. and from it weeping, John 11.35. Sighing and groaning, John 11.33. 5 Bleeding and sweating, Luke 22.44. 6 Dying, John 19.30.

Secondly, By the Properties of a Man agreeing to him, 1 Born of a Woman, Mat. 1. ult. 2 Hunger, Mat. 21.18. and with it thirst, John 19.28. 3. Wearinesse, John 4.6. 4 Griefe and Sorrow, Isa. 53.3, 4, 10. Mat. 26.38. and from it weeping, John 11.35. Sighing and groaning, John 11.33. 5 Bleeding and sweating, Luke 22.44

Now for the Reasons why Christ became man, they are

First, That he might be a middle person, or of a middle nature, between the persons offending, and the persons offended; if he had still remained God, he had been the person offended with us; or if only man, then he had been the party offending: and therefore that he might be of a middle condition, it was needful he should take upon him our nature.

First, That he might be a middle person, or of a middle nature, between the persons offending, and the persons offended; if he had still remained God, he had been the person offended with us; or if onely man, then he had been the party offending: and therefore that he might be of a middle condition, it was needfull he should take upon him our nature.

Secondly, That that nature of ours which had offended, might make satisfaction; if he had not taken on him our nature, he could not have satisfied for our sins, Heb. 2.16.

Thirdly, That he might be able to suffer death for us, Heb. 2.9. which God could not do.

Thirdly, That he might be able to suffer death for us, Heb. 2.9. which God could not doe.

Fourthly, That he might be the better compassionate of our infirmities, Heb. 2.17, 18.

The Reasons why Christ became not an Angel, which the Schoolmen render, are divers, principally these;

First, Angels being created all at once, and not propagated one from another by generation, though many of them fell, yet God lost not the whole kind, because many of them stood: but men proceeding all from one stock or root, he being corrupt, all his Off-spring were in the same Estate; so that if God had not provided this means of Christs incarnation for him, he had lost the Creature wholly.

But to this I answer, God might have made many men once, as well as Angels, and so might have provided another means of saving some of them, as he did the Angels, but that he would set forth the abundant riches of his love to man, in saving them, by giving of his own Son.

Again, though all men had perished, they had had but their desert, and God might have had more service, by one Angel redeemed, than by many millions of men.

Again, though all men had perished, they had had but their desert, and God might have had more service, by one Angell redeemed, than by many millions of men.

Secondly, The Angels fell of themselves, but man by their procurement.

To this also I say, That the greater the Angels sin was, the greater is their misery, and the greater their misery is, the greater mercy had God showed to have redeemed them.

To this also I say, That the greater the Angels sin was, the greater is their misery, and the greater their misery is, the greater mercy had God shewed to have redeemed them.