to the EPBESI AN S. upon good Works; of which in that place, as the Coronh of this firft part of "'-.J"-.T'' my ExpoGtions. But here, as it ferves to magnify God's Love, and the Glory ofSent,.),.{V. that Condition God hath raifed us to; it Items to let out the Glory of that~ Eflate and Salvation we are brought into. God bath, in bringing any of rhe Sons of Men to any eminent height, laid the foundation of it in a Lownefs and Milery; and thefe proportionable to that height of Happinefs he meant to raife them up to; out of it. And accordingly, when the Scripture would fct out the Grace of that Advancement, it withall mentions the low Condition fi·om whence it had its rile, as emphatically as the Glory after. Take two lnflances; the one in an earthly, the other by an Advancement heavenly; and bath the highdl, and one the Type of the other. 'Pfo!. 78. 70, 7r. (peaking of David's exaltation to a Kingdom, fee how great things is fpoken of it, '7l.fd. 89. I have exalted one chofen o11t of the 'People, I have found Davtd, my Serv.mt: v. I9, 20. I will ma~ bim my Firjl-born, higher than t!J£ Kings of the Earth. All which was lirfl true of D>vid in the Type. Of all the Kingdoms fer up in rhofc Ages of the World, betore SI-dohcame to take up the Sceptcr, the Throne of David was, for true Excellency aod Glory, the mort rranfcendent. It was a Dominion over God's own People, his only People in the World; but all other Kingdoms over Mountains of Prey; as the P!Jimirt (peaks, in comparifon of it, over wild Beafts; this over Saints, Ho[. I r. I2. You have feen his Ex.1lrarion. Now fee, how in another p[;,}m the Holy-Ghofl, to greaten this, gives us exact notice of !the lownefs of his Condition he was taken our of, and that holding a like proportion oflownets and meannefs afore, to this height after, Pfol. 78. 70, 7I. He choft D.1vid 1-h Servant, and too}zhim frt~m the Sheepfolds, from following tl·e ErveJgrC1ll with)'OIJng: He bronght him to feed Jacob hi< People, a1Jd lfi·ael his lnhcrit,mce. As in the form'r Pfalm he rook his Elevation; fo here he f.1thoms, as with a l'rne and mea– lure, his Depreflion, and proportions them. He was afore but a Shepherd over filly She~p; yea, lower yet, he was but the Shepherd's Boy, (the Holy-Ghoft in– timates it,) he took him fro~ after the Ewes; fo you have it in yol.lr Margins, The Shepherds themfelves (m ]ndea) dtd ufe to go afore the Sheep : So Chrifl, fpeaking according to the Cufiom of that Country, John IO. 3· The good Shepherd he goes af re hh Sheep, and lrads them o11t. See alfo ·pfol. 8o. I. He was the younger Brother, that as the Servant followed the Sheep, his elder Brethren were the Shepherds. Bur inftcad of following Sheep, God made him a Shepherd over l1is own Inheritance, 7fOifLHrt.l\oci:iv, as Homer calls Kings. And the Pl.1lmifl's allu– fion is fuitable, To feed Ifrael, his Inheritance, and to go in and 011t before them. You have the very fame, in tha fame cxpreflions, 2 S'""· 7· 8. . From David, the Shadow, let us come to Chrifl, the true King indeed, who is made as the Pattern.ofours here, (and therefore is the moll punctual lnftance can. be given, how high he is afcended,) you have heard from thence, To jit at God's right band, &c. v. 20, '2 I. Now to make this the more glorious, fee his Defcen– fion alfo, ere ever he afcended, as it is fathomed by this our Apbfllc, in this Epiflle, chap. 4'· 9, Io. and forefeen by David in 'his Prophecy which he expounds: Now ;, that he aji:ended, what if it, but that hidr!fiended jirfl into tbe lotver parts of the Earth? He that deji:e11ded, is the fome alfo th"t afccnded for abuve all He,lvens. The Terms from and unto which; are, the one the lowefl, the other the higheft : the lower parrs of the Earth, the one ; and far above ~11 Heavens, the other: the one as deep in lownefs, as the other in he!ghrh. It imports, lower he could not go, and higher he could not afcend; anathat his Defcenfion might illuftrate the height of his Afcent, he lays, he firfl defcended. Jf }'O\J would confider then his height, go down in your thoughts firfl into the Womb; umo >he Crofs, into the Grave, yea, to Hell, tl)e Wrath of God coming over his Soul, when on the Crofs; think what a poor, low, forry Man God firfl made him; and then read, and think over again his Super·cxa!tation, in the firfi Chapter, and then make up the Parallel, as our Head. So we thn were dead in Sins, Children of Wrath, and fo i.n our defert laid as low as Hell, are quickned, raifed, and made to fit in heavenly Places and Glories, in and with Chrifl•, Place ooe part of the Compafs of your thoughts . in the aethermofl Hell below, from thence flretch the other part to the highefl Heavens above, and then you have the true dirtance of the Hetght and Depth of your Salvation, and of God's Goodnefs in it. And " 'L 2 unto
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