21.` An Exportro» ofthe C H A P. II. Off; lam holier thanyou ; but he comesunto us, and takes us by the hand in his love, to deliver us from this condition. Secondly, We are in this nature obnoxiousunta all mifries in this world, and that which is to come. Man now is born to trouble,.all the trouble that fin can deferve, or a provoked God inflict; his mifery is great upon him and that growing and endlefs. Ide, juftly in Modell, free from all, obnoxious to nothing that was grievous ór irlJme, no more than the Angels in heaven, or Adam in Paradife. Pana noxam fguit«r, Pu_ nilhment and trouble follow guilt only, naturally. Hedidnofin, nor was there guile found in his mouth ; fo that God wasalways well pleafed with him. What ever ofhard/hip or dii cuhyheunderwent, it was for ut, and not forhimfelfì Might norhe have left us to perifh in our condition, and freely enjoyedhis own ? Wefee how unapt thofe who are in profperity, fulland rich, are to take noticeoftheir nearellRelations in poverty mifery and difirefs : and who among them would do fo, ifit would call them into theffare of thofe who are already miferable ? yet fo it did the Lord Chrill. His calling US brethren, and owningofus, made hugs inflantly obnoxious unto all the miferies, the guilt whereof we hadcontrated upon our feines. The owning of his alliance unto us colt him, as itwere, all he was worth ; for being rich, Jr o our fakes hebecame poor, He cameinto theprifon, and intothe furnace to own us. And this alto renders his condefcenfión marvellous. Thirdly, He is inconceivably diffanced from us, in rapedof that Place and Dignity which hewas deigned unto. This, as we have fhewedat large, was tobe Lord of all, with abfolute fovereign authority over the whole Creation ofGod, We are poor ab- jells, who either have not bread to ear, orhave no good right to eat that which we meet withall; Sin bath fat the whole Creation againff us. And ifMephibo¡beth thought It 4 great condcfeniion in Davidon his Throne, to take notice of him being poor, whowas yet the fonof Jonathan, what is it in this KingofKings to own us for Bre- thren in our vile and low condition, Thoughtsof his glorious Exaltation will put a Lathe on his condefcenffon in this matter. Fourthly, He is infinitely diffanced from us in hisPerfon, in refped of his Divine Nature, wherein he is and was God over all, blefdfor ever, He did not fobecome man, 45 CO ceafe to beGod. Though he drew a vail over his infinite Glory, yet he parted not with it. He who calls us Brethren, who fuffered for us, who died for us, was Qod fí11 in all there things. The rondefcenfion ofChrill inthis retpeb theApoftle in an cfpecial.manner infiltsupon, and improves, Phil. z. 5, 6,,7, 8, 9, r o, t r. That he who ha himfelf is thus over all, eternally bleffed, holy, powerful, fhould take us poor worms ofthe earth into this Relationwith himflf, and avow us for his brethren, as it is not eatieto bebelieved, fo it is for ever to beadmired. And there are forneofthe heads ofthat diflance which is between Chrif and us. Notwithfandinghisparticipa- tion of the fame nature with us; yet fuels was his love unto us, filch his conlfastç in the purfuit ofthe defign and purpole ofhis Father, in bringing many fins unto glory, that he over -looks asir were them all, and is not afhamed to call usbrethren. And if he will do this becaufe he is of one with us, becaute a foundation of this relation is laid in his participationofour nature ; how much more will he continue Co to do, when he pathperfected this Relation by the communicationof his Spirit. And this is aground of unfßealgable confolation hero Believers, with fapportment in every, condition. No unworthinefs in them, no mifery upon them, fhall ever hinder the Lord Chrill from owning them, and open avowing them to be his Brethren. He is a Brother bornfir the day oftrouble, a Redeemer for the f icndlefs and fatlredefs, Let their wineries be what they will, he will be afhamed of none but of them who are ofburnedofhim and his ways, when perfecuted and reproached. A little while will clear up great miflakes; all the world (hall fee at the lati day whom aria- táillown: and it will be a great furprifal when men !hall hear him call them brethren, whom they hate, and etleem as the off-Poring of allthings. He doch it indeed already by bis Wad, but they will not attend thereunto. But at the left day they fhall both fie and hear whether they will or no. And herein, I fay, lies the great confolation of Believers. The world rejets them, it maybe their own Relationsdefpifc them, they arc perfe- cuted, hated, reproached ; but the Lord Chilli is not af{iamed of them. He will not pafs by them becaufe they arepoor, and in rags, it may be reckoned as he himfeif was for them, among malefelors. They. may fee alto the Wifdom, Grace, and Love ofGod in this matter. His great defign in the Incarnation of his Son was to bi ing him into that condition, wherein be might naturally care for them as their Brother, that he might
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