244 VERSE 2. 10I'a7 .6,, Cor.6.zo. Hcbr.3.6. Chrills Care ofhi Church. 1.... allow price and power of his blond molt highly honoured, when men belecvc in him again(} reafon and above hope,andbeyond theexperience,or apprchenfions they have ofmercy ; for Chrift loveth toPhew the greatneffc of his skill in the falvationof a Manaffe, a MaryMag- dalen, a crucified Theefe, a perfecutour and injurious blafphcmcr, in giving life unto them that nailed him to his Croffe ; the more defperate the difcafe, the more honourable the cure. Fifthly, He is osr archafir, our Proprietary, wee belong unto him by grant from the Father, Thine they were, andthougavefl themuntome; and bypayment from him unto the Father, yee are bought with aprice.T here is no good that concernes the Church that he bath not ful- ly paid for with his owne pretious bloud : And Chrift will not die in vaine, he will take order for the accom- pli(hing of that redemption which himfelfe bath meri- ted. And this is the greaten argumentof his care and fi- delitie,that be is not as a fcrvant, butas a Lord, and his care is over His owne haute. An ordinary advocate is faithfull onely ratione becaufe thedutic ofhis of- ficerequireth it ; but thebufineffes which he manageth, come not clofe unto his heart, becaufe he bath no perfo- nall interefl in them: but Chrift is faithfull, not as t.X.- fei, or a fervant only, but ration Domiraii, 016 Lord in his owne houre; fo that the affaires ofthe Church con- cerne him in as neere a right, as they concerne the Church her fclfe, fo that in his office of intercellion hee pleadethhis ownecaufes with his Father, and in the mif- carriages of them, himfelfe fhould loft that which was infinitelymore pretious than any thing inthe world be- tides, even the priceand merit ofhis owne bloud. Thefe are the groundsofthe great care of Chrift towards his people. Andfrom hence we fhould learne faith and depen- denceon Chrift inall ourneceflities, becaufe weare un- der
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=