zoo An £xpofition of the C H A P. IL all its cencernments, [tieing unto him only doth it betake it (elf. The Church made it efold part of her plea, that the was as one fatberkß, Hof, 14.1 that is every Way belpleß, that had none to relieveor fuccour her. And the LordChrift giveth this as a reafon why he ftirreth up himfflf unto the affillance ofhis people, becaufe there was no man thatappearedfor their help, no Interceft to interpofe for them, Ira. 59. re. Now Godhaving placed the Church in this condition, as to be oft-times altogether Or phans in this world, tohave none to give them the leali countenance or aßîftance, and the Church it f if chufingthis condition, to renounceall hopes and expectations from any elfe betide, betaking it felt unto the Power Grace and Faithfulnefs of the Lord Chrift alone, it cannot as it were but be agreat Obligation upon him to take care ofit, and to providefor it atall times. They are members of his Body, andhe alone is their Head ; theyare Subjetïsofhis Kingdom, and he alone is their King ; they are Childrenand Servants in his Family, and he alone is their Father Lord and Matter; andcan heforget them, can he difregard them ? Had they been corrimitted to the cate ofmen, it may be Come ofthem wouldhave fought and contended for them ; though theirfaithfulneff is always to be fufpéded, and their ftreogth isa thing of nought a Had theybeenput into fubjedionunto Angelr,they would have matched for their good though theirWifdom and Abilitybeboth finite and limited, fo that they could never have fecured their fafety ; and hhall not the Lord Jefus Chrift, now they are made his fpeéial care, as his Power and Faithfulnefs is infinitely above thofe ofany meet creature, excel them alfoin care and watchfulnefs for our good ? And all there things dofufficiently let out the Greatnefs ofthat priviledgeoftheChurch which we infrft upon. And thereare two things that make this Lib.rty and Exaltation ofthe Churchnecetary and teafonable. r. That God having exalted our nature in the Perfon of his Son, into a condition Of Honour and Glory, fo as to be worfhipped and adored by all the Angels of Heaven, it was not meet nor convenient that it Mould in our perlons, when united unto Chrift as our Head, bemade fubjed unto them. God would not allow, that whereas there is theffriileffunion between the Head and the Members, there fhould be fucla an interpofition between them, as that the Angels fhould depend on their Head, and the Members fhould depend on Angels; which indeed would utterly deftroy the Union and immediate cntercourfe that is and ought to be between them. 2. God is pleated by JefusChrift to take us into an holy cßmmunion with bimfelf, without any other medium or means of communication, but only that ofour nature, ?atonally and infeparably united unto his own Nature in his Son. And this atfo our fubjetlion unto Angels is inconfillent withall. This order ofdependance the Apoftle declares, s Cor. 3.22, 23. All things are yours, andyou are Chrifts, and Chaff is Gods. As there is no interpofition between God andChrifl, no moreis there between Chrift and us; and in and byhim alone do we relateunto God himfelf. And this ihoukl teachus , r. The equity and neceflity of our univerfal obedience unto God in Chrift. He bath freed usfromfubjeltion untomen and Angels, that we might ferve him, and live unto him. He hath taken us to be his peculiar ones; his lot and portion, from whom he expels all his Reverence ofGlory out of this world. And hebath left us nopre- tence, no excufe for the neglel ofany duties of obedience that he requireth of us. We cannot plead that we had other morkto do, other Lords and Matters to ferve; he hath letunfreefrom themall, that we might behis. Ifa King take a Cervant intohis family, and thereby free and difcharge him from being liable unto any other duty or fervice what ever ; may he not juftl yexpel that fuch a one will bediligent in the obfervation ofall his commands ; efpecially confidering alfo the Honour and Advan- tage that he bath by being taken near unto hisperfon, employedin his affairs a And (hall not God much more expel thelike from us, confidering how exceedingly the priviledge we haveby this relation unto him furpalfethall that men can attain by the favourofearthly Princes. And ifwe will choofe otherLords ofour own to ferve, if we are foregardlefs ofour felves as that we will ferve oar luftf and the world, when God bath had fuch refped unto us, as that he would not fuffer us to befubjell unto the Angeli ofheaven, how inexcufable (hall we be in our fin and folly ? You finiibe for me;.faith'God-, and notfir any other what ever. Anclare we not miferable ifwe like not this agreement? 2. For the manner ofour obedience, how ought we to endeavour that it be per- formed with all holinefs and ra'erehce Motet Makes this his great argutnent with the
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