takes it be intimately acquainted with all the secret counsels of God, that lay hid in his infinite wisdom and will from all eternity. None else could undertake to be God's apostle in this matter. But who must this be? It is true, that God was pleased to reveal sundry particular things, effects of his counsels, unto his servants the prophets; but yet it is concerning them that the Holy Ghost speaks, John i. 18. "No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him." The best of them had but a partial acquaintance with God. Moses saw but a glimpse of his back parts in his passage before him; that is, had but a dark and obscure revelation of his mind and will, sufficient for his work and employment. This will not suffice him who is to manage the whole treaty between God and sinners. Who then shall do it?" The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father." In his bosom; that is, not only in his especial love, but who is partaker of his most intimate and secret counsels. This the design of the place requires to be the meaning of it. For so it follows, " He hath declared him;" he hath revealed him, he hath made him known, in his nature, his name, his will, his grace; he hath exhibited him to be seen by faith, for he only is able so to do, as being in his bosom, that is, acquainted with his nature, and partaker of his most intimate counsels. Without this, none could in this matter be God's apostle. For the work is such, as wherein God will reveal and make known not this or that portion of his will, but himself, and all the eternal counsels of his mind; about all that he will have to do with sinners in this world, and the whole glory which he aims at therein to eternity. This knowledge of God and his counsels, no creature was capable of. The Son alone thus knows the Father, and his mind. If it were otherwise, if our apostle did not know the whole counsel of God in this matter, all that is in his heart and mind, it is impossible but that in this great concern, sinners would have been left under endless fears and doubts, lest some things might yet remain, and be reserved in the unsearchable abyss of the divine understanding and will, that might frustrate all their hopes and expectations. Their sin, and guilt, and worthlessness, would still suggest such thoughts and fears unto them. But in this embassy of the Son, there is full and plenary satisfaction tendered unto us, that the whole counsel of God was originally known unto him. So that there is no ground of the least suspicion that there is any reserve in the counsels of God concerning us, that he hath not made known.

3. To this end also it was necessary, that he should have these counsels of God always abiding with him, that at all times, and on all occasions, he might be able to declare the

mind and will of God. It was not enough that originally, as he was God, he knew all things of God, but also as he was sent; as he was the apostle of God, the counsel of God was constantly to abide with him. This is another thing. For the wisdom and knowledge of Christ, as Mediator, to be acted in the human nature, was distinct from his knowledge, as he was in himself God over all, blessed for ever. And without this, none could have been a meet apostle from God unto sinners. For how else should he reveal the will of God unto them according unto all emergencies and occasions? When the council of Trent was sitting, and any hard matter (indeed almost any thing) came to be determined amongst them, the leaders of them not knowing what to do, always sent to Rome to the pope and his cardinals for their determination. When this came to them, they decreed it under the usual form, It pleaseth the Holy Ghost, and Us.' Hence there grew a common by-word amongst the people, that the Holy Ghost came once a-week from Rome to Trent in a portmanteau. But when any men are not sufficiently furnished in themselves for the discharge of their duty, according to the variety of occasions and emergencies that they may meet withal, they will put themselves, as will also those with whom they have to do, unto great difficulties and distresses. It was necessary, therefore, that God's apostle unto sinners should, in the whole discharge of his office, be furnished with a full comprehension of the whole mind of God, as to the affair committed unto him. Now this never any was, nor ever can be capable of, but only Jesus Christ the Son of God. It wholly exceeds the capacity of any merely created person, to comprehend at once, and have resident with him, the whole of the will and mind of God, in the business of his transaction with sinFor after the utmost of their attainments, and the communications of God unto them, they still know but in part. It is true, they may be able to know so much of the mind of God, as to declare unto others the whole of their duty; whence Paul tells the elders of Ephesus, that "he had not shunned to declare unto them all the counsel of God," Acts xx. 27. Yet, as to a full habitual comprehension of the whole mind of God in this matter, to reside with them, answering all occasions and emergencies, and that originally and immediately, that no mere creature was capable of. But, as this was needful to the great apostle, so it was found in Jesus Christ the Son of God. "The Spirit of the Lord did rest upon him," (not came upon him at times, but did rest upon him, remained on him, John i. 32, 33.) "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and made him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord," Isa. xi. 2, 3. It may be, you will say, it did so in some

ners.

degrees of it only, or in a singular measure above others. Nay, God gave not the Spirit unto him by measure, John iii. 34. when he was sent to speak the words of God. Not in such a way as that he should only have a greater measure of the Spirit than others; but in a way wholly different from what they received. So that when it is said, "He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows," Heb. i. 9. it is not intended only that he received the Spirit in a degree above them, but the same Spirit in another kind; "for it pleased the Father, that in him all fulness should dwell," Col. i. 19. All fulness of wisdom and counsel, in a complete comprehension of the whole will and mind of God. And accordingly " in him were hid (laid up safely) all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 3. This also was requisite unto this great apostle, and it was possible to be found only in the Son of God.

4. The nature of the work required, that the ambassador of God to sinners should be able to make his message to be believed, and received by them. Without this, the whole work and undertaking might be frustrated. Nor is it sufficient to say, that the message itself is so great, so excellent, so advantageous unto sinners, that there is no doubt but that upon the first proposal of it, they will receive it and embrace it; for we find the contrary by multiplied experience. And not only so, but it is certain also, that no sinner is able of himself, and in his own strength, to receive it, or believe it; "for faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God." Now, if this ambassador, this apo stle from God, have not power to enable men to receive his message, the whole design of God must needs be frustrated therein. And who shall effect or accomplish this? Is this the work of a man to quicken the dead, to open the blind eyes, to take away a stony heart, to create a new spiritual light in the mind, and life in the will? all which are necessary, that God's message unto sinners may be savingly received. This also could be done only by the Son of God; "for no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him," Matt. xi. 27. And this he doth by the effectual working of his Spirit, the dispensation whereof is committed wholly unto him, as hath been elsewhere declared. By him doth he write the law of his message, in the fleshly tables of the hearts of them to whom he is sent, 2 Cor. iii. 5. as Moses wrote his message, or had it written in tables of stone. So that the nature of this work required, that it should be committed unto the Son of God. And so did,

III. The end of it. This was no less than to proclaim and establish peace between God and man.. It is not a place to shew how old, fixed, lasting and universal this enmity was; nor yet how great, excellent, and precious, in the means, causes, and VOL. III.

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nature of it, that peace was, which God sent about. These things are known and confessed. These things were such as none were fit to intermeddle withal, but the Son of God only. He alone who made this peace, was meet to declare it. He is our peace, and he came and preached peace, Eph. ii. 14. 17. And on the account of the discharge of this work, is he called oyos, the Word of God,' John i. 1. as he by whom God was declared; and the angel of his (God's) presence,' Isa. lxiii. 9.; and p 7872, Job xxxiii. 23. the angel, the interpreter, the great interpreter of the mind of God;" and, pr, İsa. ix. 6. the counsellor;' and nan Jaba, Mal. iii. 1. the angel or messenger of the covenant;' as here, the apostle of our profession.'

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And hence we may see the great obligation that is upon us to hearken unto this message, not only upon the account of the message itself, but also on the account of him that brings it. The message itself is worthy of all acceptation. And everlasting woe will be unto them by whom it is rejected. He that refuseth peace with God, shall have war and wrath from him to eternity, and that deservedly. But God expects that great weight should be laid on the consideration of the person that brings it. Surely, saith he, they will reverence my Son. It may be, men may think in their hearts that if they had heard Christ himself delivering this message, if they had heard him preaching this peace, they would undoubtedly bave received and embraced it. So indeed thought the Jews of old, that if they had lived in the days of the former prophets, they would not have dealt with them as their forefathers did, but would have believed their word, and obeyed their commands; as the rich mau thought that his brethren would repent if one might rise from the dead, and preach unto them. All men have pretences for their present unbelief; and suppose, that if it were not for them, they should do otherwise. But they are all vain and foolish, as our Lord Jesus manifested, in the former instances of the Jews, and of the rich man in hell. Here there is no pretence of this nature that can take place; for this great apostle and ambassador of God continueth yet to speak unto us, and to press his message upon us. So saith our apostle, ch. xii. 25. "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for how should we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven ?" He did not only speak of old, but he continueth to speak, he speaketh still. He still speaketh in the word of the gospel, and in the administration of it, according to his mind and will. When from thence we are pressed to believe, and to accept the terms of peace that God hath prepared for us, and proposeth unto us, if we refuse them, we reject this great apostle, which God hath sent unto us, to treat with us in his name.

And

what will be the end of such men ? what will be the end of us all, if the guilt hereof should be found upon us? Another observation also the words will afford us, according to the foregoing exposition, which shall only be briefly mentioned. Namely,

IX. Especial privileges will not advantage men without especial grace.—The Lord Christ was, in an especial manner, an apostle unto the Jews. To them was he sent immediately, and unto them was his ministry in the flesh confined. Greater privileges could none be made partakers of. And what was the issue?" He came unto his own, and his own received him not," John i. 11. Incomparably the greatest part of them rejected him, and the tidings of peace that he came to bring. It is worth your consideration, who are entrusted with all gospel privileges. They will not save you, they may ruin you. Look after grace to make them effectual, lest they prove the savour of death unto death to any of you. Once more, from the ascribing of both these offices to our Lord Jesus Christ,

X. The Lord Christ is all in all, in and unto his church, the king, priest and apostle, or prophet of it, all in one. So our apostle tells us, that Christ is, τα παντα και εν πασι, unto believers, "All things, and in all things," Col. iii. 11. supplying all wants, answering all privileges, the spring of all grace, effecting all mercy; so that in him alone they are complete, as chap. ii. 10. of the same Epistle. Here he proposeth it as a privilege and advantage, that we have in him, above what was enjoyed under the Old Testament. And this consisteth in two things: 1. That what they had in the type only, that we have in reality and substance. 2. Such was the poverty of the types, that no one of them could so much as shadow out, or represent all that advantage which we really enjoy; and therefore they were multiplied, and the work distributed amongst them which they were to represent. This made them a yoke, and that grievous and burdensome. The way of teaching in them, and by them, was hard and obscure, as well as their observance was difficult. It was a hard thing for them to learn the love, grace, and mind of God by them. God revealed himself in them, woλuμegas, by many parts and pieces, according as they were capable to receive impression from, and make representation of, divine wisdom, goodness and grace. Whence our apostle says, that the law had but xiv, a shadow,' and not aʊTY THY sixova πexyμATWY, ch. x. 1. the image itself of things.' It had some scattered shades, which the great Limner had laid the foundation of symmetry in, but so as discernible only unto his own infinite wisdom. A perfect image, wherein all the parts should exactly answer unto one another, and so plainly represent the thing intended, that it had not. Now, it was a work beyond their wis

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