A SE R..M 0 N on; &c. 1 lhall at this time in handling of thefe words, give the fccond part of this Story· and that is td lay open Chri{t's part, in whom it now lies to be perforn1: ed. A~'d to this end I have chofen this Text, whith tells us, That all Pu!mft dwe/Js in Him,, forthe effecting of it. As1 · '• A Fuloefs of Fit11ejr. :z.. Of Abilities~ 3· Of Faithfu!nefsi . . 4· Of Righteoufiuf's, now it is performed. . .. 5· Of AcceptatioiJ of his Perjim, and what he bath d.nt: . . .. 6. A Fuloefs of 'Dttration of the Merit of what he hatb do11efor ever: .. Firft, He had fuloefs of Fitnefs iri him, being fitted fo with fuch a Body a$ hathbeen defcribed; a[t1hufs of Fitnefs i11 bu 'Perfou, to lJe a Mediator arid Re~ coociler for us. Now the choice of a fit Perfori, and his Fitnefs, is more efpecially required and refpected in a bufinefs of Mediation, than in _an):' thin& elf~, avail~. as much as Wi(dom, Power, or any thmg elfe; for mdeed tt IS the foundation of all; and often for want of a fit Perfon, the force of a Mediation is enervated, and avails not, though other Sufficiencies concur to effecx it. Now to lhew this pe– culiar Fitnefs; A Mediator (the Apofile fays) is aM~diatornot of on'e, 6ut of twoPartiesat!eafl, Gat.~.z.o. . . The Parties here, betwixt whom Retonciliation is to be made, is God and Mmt, I Tim. 2,). Why? Can you the.n have a fitter Perfon, than one that is both God and Man? And fuch a Perfon ts Jefiu Cbrifl become, that he mtght be a fit Mediator. There is(fays the Apo!lle) but 'o11e God, r11id but one Mediator /;etwem God and Mmt, the Mmt Cbnfl Je(us:There could be but one la fit a Me– diator. To this end therefore, the.Apofile tells us, in He6.z.16. that He took the .Seed of A6rabam to himfelf, '""'"~''"""''• took our Nature into Olte Perfo11 with bimfelf; called therefore,aTahrnacle,which Godpitcht, a1td 1101 Mm,.#d>.8.z, andChap.g.11. Notof,this6uildittg, tlf the harids<if men; Men .mbflhave n<? hand in it. For, this is required to fit aMMiator, dr anUmpire,.Job 9·3~· That bt be able to ltzy bis band on both; which phrafe notes out, I. That he be an indifferent Perfon between both, ready tG diflribute with an equal hand, to both their due. . ' · z. That he hath an Intereft, a Hand, or prevailing flroke with both j Fo\Ver l:o deal between both. l· That he be fit to communicate to them; For the benefit of his Mediatiori .e!fe is vain. Now all thefe are in Chrift 1 as thus fitted; . . Forthe Firft; Heb.i.16. the Apoltle fhewirig how lie iook our Nature 6ci him; not of A11gtls; in the 17th verfe he gives this as the ReafonJ It brhoved him,f!H:, And why did it behove him? That he might be a memf" and f <llthjill H1gh Priefl in thi11gs pertai11ing to God, to make reco11ciliatilm for the fins Q{ tbt, People. That is, Hereby he comes to be a ftt; , meet, High .Priefl. Ii behaved Him, Oi~HM, which notes out Fitnefs; and why fit? the words Die\V, there \Vere tWO Parties wqofe caufe was to be committed to him, God and the Peoples: There were things pertaining to God, who was the Party wronged by the Sins of the People; and there was Reconciliation or Atonement f<Jr their Sin~, to be made. God, He was to have his due, thoogh they Had Reconciliation; there– fore, in regard of the things pertaining to God Faithfulnejs was required; iri regard of things pertaining to the People, Mere;•. If he had been orily tvr.ln; he might have ended it with detriment and wrong to Ood. That therefore He might be faithful to ~i'1l; it wns fit he fhould be God; and {b tender of his Caufe, that he might fee fuch a Satisfaction firft_llioui<l be made, • as was his due, and what pertained to him : For, God put :ill the Glory of his Juflice into his hand, He li:id need be God, who had fucll a truft committeJ to him ; God would not truft a m~erMan again. . . , And Secondly 1 He had our Sot1ls and SalvatioiJ committed alfo to liini; and therefore it was behoveful for us ihat he !hoitld be Man, io.be merciful and pitiJ ful to us; that he m.ight be fenfible of the pairis Httnianc Mature was to be put to; and fo out of expenmental kmdly Ptty, moved to make an Atonerrietltl P z J'no11df) 1 .. IO'j
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