As, (1.) It is scandalously proposed and answered, Of what use is the consideration of the person of Christ in our religion? Such are the novel inquiries of men who suppose there is any thing in Christian religion wherein the person of Christ is of no consideration; as though it were not the life and soul that animates the whole of it, that which gives it its especial form as Christian; as though by virtue of our religion we received any thing from God, any benefit in mercy, grace, privilege or glory, and not through the person of Christ as though any one duty or act of religion towards God could be acceptably performed by us without a respect unto, or a consideration of the person of Christ; or that there were any lines of truth in religión as it is Christian, that did not relate thereunto. Such bold inquiries, with futilous answers annexed unto them, sufficiently manifest what acquaintance their authors have either with Christ himself, which in others they despise, or with his gospel, which they pretend to embrace. (2.) A mock scheme of religion is framed to represent the folly of them who design to learn the mind and will of God, in and by him. (3.) Reproachful reflections are made on such as plead the necessity of acquaintance with him, or the knowledge of him, as though thereby they rejected the use of the gospel. (4.) Professed love unto the person of Christ is traduced as a mere fancy and vapour of distempered minds or weak imaginations. (5.) The union of the Lord Christ and his church is asserted to be political only, with respect unto laws and rules of government. And many other things of a like nature are asserted, derogatory unto his glory, and repugnant unto the faith of the church. Such as from the foundation of Christian religion were never vented by any person before, who did not openly avow some impious heresy concerning his person. And I no way doubt, but that men may with less guilt and scandal fall under sundry doctrinal misapprehensions concerning it, than by crying hail thereunto, to despoil it of all its glory, as unto our concernment therein, in our practical obedience unto God. Such things have we deserved to see and hear.

6. The very name or expression of preaching Christ, is become a term of reproach and contempt; nor can some, as they

say, understand what is meant thereby, unless it be an engine to drive all rational preaching, and so all morality and honesty out of the world.

7. That which all these things tend unto and centre in, is that horrible profaneness of life, that neglect of all gospel duties, that contempt of all spiritual graces and their effects, which the generality of them that are called Christians in many places are given up unto. I know not whether it were not more for the honour of Christ, that such persons would publicly renounce the profession of his name, rather than practically manifest their inward disregard unto him.

That by these, and the like means, Satan doth yet attempt the ruin of the church, as unto its building on the everlasting rock, falls under the observation of all who are concerned in its welfare. And, whatever others may apprehend concerning this state of things in the world, how any that love the Lord Jesus in sineerity, especially such as are called to declare and represent him unto men in the office of the ministry, can acquit themselves to be faithful unto him, without giving their testimony against, and endeavouring to stop, what lies in them, the progress of this prevailing declension, from the only foundation. of the church, I know not; nor will it be easy for themselves to declare. And in that variety of conceptions which are about him, and the opposition that is made unto him, there is nothing more necessary than that we should renew and attest our confession of him, as the Son of the living God, the only rock whereon the church of them that shall be saved is founded and built.

Pauca ideo de Christo, as Tertullian speaks; some few things concerning the person of Christ with respect unto the confession of Peter, and the promise thereunto annexed, wherein he is declared the sole foundation of the church, will be comprised in the ensuing discourse. And he who hath ordained strength out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, as he hath given ability to express these poor mean contemplations of his glory, can raise by them a revenue of honour unto himself in the hearts of them that do believe. And some few things I must premise in general unto what I do design. As,

1. The instances which I shall give concerning he use and consideration of the person of Christ in Christian religion, or of him as he is the foundation whereon the church is built, are but few, and those perhaps not the most signal or eminent which the greater spiritual wisdom and understanding of others might propose. And indeed who shall undertake to declare what are the chief instances of this incomprehensible effect of Divine wisdom? 'What is his name, and what is his Son's name if thou canst tell? Prov. xxx. 4. See Isa. ix. 6. It is enough for us to stand in a holy admiration at the shore of this unsearchable ocean, and to gather up some parcels of that divine treasure wherewith the Scripture of truth is enriched.

2. I make no pretence of searching into the bottom or depth of any part of this great mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh. They are altogether unsearchable unto the line of the most enlightened minds in this life. What we shall farther comprehend of them in the other world, God only knows. We cannot in these things by our utmost diligent search, find out the Almighty unto perfection. The prophets could not do so of old, nor can the angels themselves at present who desire to look into these things, 1 Pet. i. 10, 11, 12. Only I shall endeavour to represent unto the faith of them that do believe, somewhat of what the Scripture doth plainly reveal, evidencing in what sense the person of Christ is the sole foundation of the church.

3. I shall not herein respect them immediately by whom the divine person of Christ is denied and opposed. I have formerly treated thereof, beyond their contradiction in way of reply. But it is their conviction which I shall respect herein, who, under. an outward confession of the truth, do either notionally or practically, either ignorantly or designedly, God knows, I know not, endeavour to weaken the faith of the church in its adherence unto this foundation. Howbeit neither the one sort nor the other have any place in my thoughts in comparison of the instruction and edification of others, who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

CHAP. III.

THE PERSON OF CHRIST, THE MOST INEFFABLE EFFECT OF DIVINE WISDOM AND GOODNESS. THENCE THE NEXT CAUSE OF ALL TRUE RELIGION. IN WHAT SENSE IT IS SO.

THE person of Christ is the most glorious and ineffable effect of divine wisdom, grace and power, and therefore is the next foundation of all acceptable religion and worship. The divine being itself is the first formal reason, foundation and object of all religion. It all depends on taking God to be our God, which is the first of his commands. For religion, and the worship performed in it, is nothing but the due respect of rational creatures, unto the divine nature and its infinite excellencies: it is the glorifying of God as God, the way of expressing that respect, being regulated by the revelation of his will. Yet the divine. essence is not in itself the next and immediate cause of religious worship; but it is the manifestation of this being, and its excellencies, wherewith the mind of rational creatures is immediately affected, and whereby it is obliged to give that religious honour and worship which is due unto that being, and necessary from our relation thereunto. Upon this manifestation, all creatures capable by an intelligent nature of a sense thereof, are indispensably obliged to give all divine honour and glory to God.

The way alone whereby this manifestation may be made, is by outward acts and effects. For in itself the divine nature is hid from all living, and dwelleth in that light whereunto no creature can approach. This therefore God first made by the creation of all things out of nothing. The creation of man himself with the principles of a rational intelligent nature, a conscience attesting his subordination unto God, and of all other things declaring the glory of his wisdom, goodness and power, was the immediate ground of all natural religion, and yet continues so to be. And the glory of it answers the means and

ways of the manifestation of the divine Being, existence, excellencies and properties. And where this manifestation is despised or neglected, there God himself is so; as the Apostle discourseth at large, Rom. i. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

But of all the effects of the divine excellencies, the constitution of the person of Christ, as the foundation of the new creation, as the mystery of godliness, was the most ineffable and glorious. I speak not of his divine person absolutely. For his distinct personality and subsistence was by an internal and eternal act of the divine Being in the person of the Father, or eternal generation, which is essential unto the divine essence, whereby nothing anew was outwardly wrought or did exist. He was not, he is not in that sense, the effect of the divine wisdom and power of God, but the essential wisdom and power of God himself. But we speak of him only as incarnate, as he assumed our nature into personal subsistence with himself. His conception in the womb of the virgin, as unto the integrity of human nature, was a miraculous operation of the divine power. But the prevention of that nature from any subsistence of its own, by its assumption into personal union with the Son of God, in the first instance of its conception, is that which is above all miracles, nor can be designed by that name. A mystery it is, so far above the order of all creating or providential operations, that it wholly transcends the sphere of them that are most miraculous. Herein did God glorify all the properties of the divine nature, acting in a way of infinite wisdom, grace, and condescension. The depths of the mystery hereof are open only unto him whose understanding is infinite, which no created understanding can comprehend. All other things were produced and effected by an outward emanation of power from God: he said, Let there be light, and there was light. But this assumption of our nature into hypostatical union with the Son of God, this constitution of one and the same individual person in two natures, so infinitely distinct as those of God and man, whereby the eternal was made in time, the infinite became finite, the immortal, mortal, yet continuing eternal, infinite, immortal, is that singular expression of divine wisdom, goodness and power, wherein God will be admired and glorified unto all