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by way of merit, one of charity, another of dignity, When I pray for any man in diftreffe, I am faid to be an interceffor, to deal for him with God, as a matter of my duty, and out of a charitable respect; But Chrift he only interceeds meritoriously, and by way of dignity. His interceffion as I conceive, intimates three things.

The exhibition of his perfon before the Father, as our Surety, our Redeemer, our Mediator, I am he,and I am here so aníwer.

This exhibition of his glorious merits: for he doth not nakedly appeare, who appeares as an interceffor, but he must actively appeare, and fo doth Chrift. He went up to heaven with the price of his blood, with the ranfome which ke purchased, with the righteoufneffe, and fatisfaction made with the merits of bis oblation and facrifice, and there he prefents them continually before his father, as if Chrift should still say, Father I am he that dyed for to get pardon, to get favour, to get grace, and to get fuch or fuch good things, this is the blood that I fbed, the price that I paid, to fatisfie thy justice,to fulfil tby Law,to remit these fins, to confer the(e graces, &c.

The ingratiating us with the Father: which he doth by the continuall application of his own merits; when fin gets up to accufe our perfons, and our prayers, then Chrift fhews himself our interceffor by putting afide the force of the bill of complaint, and answers for our perfons, and for our fervices.

True O Father!this man hath finned.thus against thee, but I am his furety, to fatisfie for thefe his finnes, and I did fhed my blood for them, therefore now look not on him, but on me, and for my fake, accept of him and be propitious to bim.

So for infirmities, true O.Father/his imperfections in duty are many, but I am to beare the iniquity of the holy offerings and my righteoufnelle is perfect, and that I prefent unto thee for him; now notwithstanding his weakneffes, for my merits, accept of bis perfon, grant him his requeft, do him good. Thus Chrift is the Angel, who offered up the prayers of the Saints with incense, Rev. 8.3, 4. Nay, Father accept and incline thine eares,I have deferved acceptance, and audience, &c.

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SECT. IV.

the

Secondly,
Econdly, Christ was anointed to be a Prophet, so Deat. 18. 1&
I will raise you up a Prophet from among their brethren,
which is exprefly interpreted to be Chrift, by Peter, in A&t. 3.
20, 21. Therefore Chrift is called Counsellor, Ifa. 9. 6. one who
doth advise, and direct his Church; and the Doctor or Teacher,
Mat. 23.8. and the Apostle of our profeffion, Heb. 3. 1. and
the faithfull witneffe, Rev. 1.5. And a witness to the people,
Ifa. 55.4. A Leader and a Commander, yea, he is called the
Light of his Church, Ifai. 61. 1. And the light of the world, Luke
2. 32. (that is) it is he who did reveal to the world, the true
Doctrine of eternal life, and the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.
1. and the Bishop of our fouls, 1 Pet. 2.25. and the wildome of
God, 1 Cor. 1. 24.

The anointing of Chrift to be a Prophet implyes,

That he was to reveale the will of his Father, and the wages of life, Joh.15.15 All things that I have heard of my father, have 1 made known unto you: So Heb. 1. 2. In thefe last dayes be bath spoken to us by his Son, Joh. 6. 68. Maßer, to whom should we go, thou baft the words of eternall life? Sec Isaiah 61, 2. Mattben

II.27.

There is no perfon, who muft dare to prescribe any other doArine, but fuch as Chrift hath delivered. He may not coine new Articles of faith nor of obedience; Chrift is appointed to be the Prophet of his Church, (that is) to deliver unto them, all fuch truths from his father, which shall and do concerne their everlafting falvation.

That he is to make us know eff Atually the things which he doth reveale in his Word. There is no Prophet able to convey his doctrine beyond the eare, though it be as true, as truth it felf; and as good, as goodneffe it felf; we cannot make men to underftand it, nor to believe it, nor to yield unto it; but Chrift is that Prophet, whofe Chair is in heaven, and whose speaking can yet pierce into the hearts of men: He can make us to know wif dome, he can teach our reines, and truth in the inward parts, there can be write his Law in our hearts; though the minde be

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as dark as darknesse it felf, yet he can make the light of knowledge to arife in the thickest darknesse of the minde, though the judgment be corrupt, and full of errors, yet Chrift can erect a throne of truth, and direct us into the pathes of righteousnesse; though the heart be dull, yet his words are as fire to quicken that heart; though it be as hard as the rock, yet his word can be as the hammer to break that stony heart: His teaching can soften the most unflexible adamant, he is able to convince, and bend, and alter, and bow it; the very dead shall beare his voice, and live. So that if any perfon doth need any directions, any enablement for heaven, or the way thither, he must know that Chrift is the Prophet anointed; whatsoever belongs to an heavenly inftru&ing, and to an heavenly drawing, and obeying, that is to be found in Chrift, and had from him who is anointed a Prophet (that is) defigned to teach the Church, and furnisheth with all the trea fures of wildome, and knowledge, and ability, &c.

SECT. V.

L Aftly, Chrift was anointed to be a King; therefore Pfal. 2. 2.

Pfal. 2. 2. he is called Gods anointed;and ver. 6. the King whom be did fes upon his boly hill of Sion. The King of Kings, Rev. 19. 16. He shall regne over the house of Jacob, Lúk. 1. 33. so Mar. 28. 18. All power is given to me in beaven and ivearth. He hath the Scepter of Royalty,and the Rod of authority,and the fword of power and the throne of judgement, and the Laws of his lips, and the keys of life and death.

Now this regal office of his, to which he was anointed,imports many things.

Firft that he is to beare rule over all the Nations; and indeed his natural kingdome reacheth over all the world, from the higheft Angel to the lowest Devil.

Secondly, that he is to Governe and rule the Church, which be bath purchased with bis blood; The Government is upon his shoselders, Ifa. 9. 6. And therefore he is called the Lan-giver, Jam. 4. 12. and al judgment is committed to his hand, Jab.5.22,27. to this end you have the rod of his Scepter bis holy and righteous Laws, and E 2

his

his mighty and bleffed Spirit, to give force unto them, even into our hearts, and there to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Chrift:

Thirdly, that he is to maintaine and uphold his Church, therefore he is laid to Gird his fword upon his thigh, Plal 45.3.and to ride upon a horfe with his garment dipped in blood and armed, as if he were ready to fight. He is the mighty redeemer of his fervants, against all who intrench upon their peace and fafety; and he ftrikes downe Paul to the earth for perfecuting him.

It belongs to the King to be the defence of his fubjects, fo here, God hath appointed all the Protections, and fafeties, and deliverances of the Church to be in Chrift.

Fourthly, he is to conquer all his and our enemies; God hath given Chrift a Kingdome, but it is fuch as he mult fight for; Not a Subject which he hath, which comes in unto him, but by conqueft; If we be in our own bands, peccatum Hoftis eft, quam diu eft, faid Saint Auguftine, and if we be in Satans hands,we are in that enemies hands.

More plainely, there are thefe enemies of Chrift and bis Church which he is to conquer for himselfe and them."

Firft hell, and we read that he hath Spoiled principalities and powers, and made a shew of them openly, and triumphed over them, Col. 2.15.

Secondly death, I Cor. 15. 54. Death is (wallowed up in victory, 55. O death where is thy fting, O grave where is thy victory, Sc 56,57. But thank's be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jefus Chrift.

Thirdly fin, and this is,Chrift alfo to conquer; he is to caft down all the strong holds of lufts, and all imaginations, and to capti vate the whole man; He is to fubdue our iniquities for us, and not to fuffer fin to have dominion over us.

Fourthly, wicked men, he will ftick his arrowes in the brefts of Princes, and in the hearts of the mighty, and terrible; he is to bruife the Nations with a rod of Iron, and to dash them in pieces like aporters deffell: He will execute judgment upon all of them, and caft them all to the duft, who role up against his perfon, or Government, or people. He will fet his people at reft from them that rife against them, and will make his enemies his foot-ftool.

Chap.

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Hat doth the believing in the Lord Jefus Chrift im-
port?

Jefus Chrift, is like a ring, and faith is like the
finger, which wears it. He is like a treasury,and
faith like the hand, which draws out thence.

As

David spake in another kinde,come and I will tell you, what the Lord hath done for my foul! oras Philip to Nathanael, can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip faith, come andfee. The fame is to be faid of faith, God hath done great matters for finful man faith faith, Why? but can any good be brought by any to us who are fo bad? yes, fayes faith, come and fee, Cbrift is very good, he is a Saviour for a poor finner, but it is faith which finds him fo.

Marke the answer of the Apoftles here in the text, what shall I do to be faved, faith the Jayler?

They do not answer, there is a Jefus Chrift, take thou no more care; he did dye for finners, and thou fhalt do well enough: Nay, this they answer, thou maieft be faved by Chrift, but thou must believe in Chrift. Nor a medicine is the remedy, but a medicine applyed. Not the man, but the man taken, becomes the husband; So the taking of Chrift, the believing in him is the way to heaven.

Because this is an excellent point (for our life lies in it) give me leave to speak fomewhat of faich.

Firft, in the general and there I will be brief.

Secondly in special, as justifying of faith, or faith believing in Jefus Chrift our Lord.

First,

Q.2.

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