CHAPTER XXI.

Of the Life of Christ being humbled.

1. THe parts of Christs humiliation are two: his Life, and Death.

2. Of his Life there are two parts: the first in his Conception and Birth: the second after hee was Borne.

3. Unto his conception there were two principles that did worke together one active, and another passive.

4. The Passive was the blessed Virgin Mary: which [gap] called a passive principle, not because she did nothing unto the bringing forth of Christ, but because she did nothing of her selfe, but that she did administer that matter of which the flesh of Christ was formed. Neither yet could she administer it immediatly fit, (for she had no pure matter) but it was made fit by a certaine supernaturall preparation, and sanctification, Luc. 1. 35. Because that which shall be borne of thee is holy, yet Christ was truly and really the Sonne of Mary, and the seed of the Woman promised from the beginning. Neither are there therefore two Son-ships in Christ really distinct, or two sonnes joyned together; for that temporall Son-ship, whereby he is referred to his Mother, was a respect of reason only. Indeed the humane nature of Christ had a reall relation to Mary, as to a cause, but the Son-ship doth no way agree to the nature, but to the person only: yet there is that relation of the humane nature to the person, and of Mary to that nature, that it may be truly and rightly said, Mary was the Mother of God.

5. The active principle of this conception was not a man (whence, blessed Mary was a Mother and Virgin together. Mat. 1. 23. Isay 7. 14.) But the holy Spirit. Neither yet can Christ be called the Sonne of the holy Spirit, no not in as much as he is man; for as he is man, neither is he of the same nature with the holy Spirit, neither doth it agree to a nature, but to a person to undergoe the respect of a Sonne.

6. In the first instant of this conception, Christ received according to his humane nature, fulnesse of all grace, as touching the first act. Iohn 1. 14. Full of grace, and truth. Luc. 2. 40. He was filled with wisdome, yet so as that it might be increased as touching the second acts, and by spreading forth to new objects, Luke 2. 25. Hee grew in Wisdome.

7. Hence Christ was indeed erriched with blessednesse, from the very instant of his conception, but so as that, as travellers doe, he proceeded in it, untill he came to highest exaltation.

8. In the birth of Christ there was humility of greatest poverty with an attestation of gratest glory: that both natures, and both parts of mediation, might be declared from the beginning.

9. All the earthly things which did belong to the birth of Christ were most humble: But the Angels and Starres of Heaven did declare that glory wherewith all kinds of men, Shepheards, wisemen, Herod, and the Priests with all the people were moved, Luc. 1. 18. Mat. 2. 2. 3.

10. By reason of this birth he was according to the flesh the Sonne of the Patriarches of all the world, yet specially he was that seed of Abraham, in whom all Nations should be blessed; and that Sonne of David who was to possesse a Kingdome, not of this, but of another for ever. Iohn 18. 36. My Kingdome is not of this world. Luc. 1. 33. And he shall raigne in the house of Iacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

11. The time, place, and the like circumstances, accompanying his Birth did make the same truth manifest.

12. After the birth of Christ was his life. Private and publique.

13. He lived a private life before publike, because the condition of man did so require, to which he had subjected himselfe, because the Law of God had so determined, and so also the infirmity of man did require that by degrees the Sunne of righteousnesse should appeare unto them, and that they should be lead as it were by the hand from every imperfect thing to that which is perfect.

14. In his private life, there was his infancy and subection to his parents.

15. In his infancy there was his. 1. Circumcisio[gap] and offering. 2. His flight unto Egypt, and returning thence.

16. Christ was circumcised and offered, because he did subject himselfe not only to the eternall and morall Law, but also to the Ceremoniall, and every Law of God.

17. Those ceremoniall observations, were so many confessions of sinne. Therefore Christ who was made sin for us, was fitly made conformable to them.

18. Also they were certaine outward meanes belonging to Divine worship: therefore Christ observed them, that he might fulfill all righteousnesse.

19. Lastly, they were certaine types shadowing forth Christ: now that he might fulfill those, and by this meanes sanctifie the same, he would apply them to himselfe.

20. Circumcision was the Seale of the Covenant of God.

21. Offering was a presenting and dedicating the first born unto God: therefore Christ was fitly both circumcised and offered, because hee was to confirme that saving Covenant by his blood, and among the first borne, hee was onely perfectly holy to God, of whom all others were only types.

22. His flight into Egypt, and his returne thence, was, 1. That he migt shew from the beginning of his age, that he was borne to undergoe misery. 2. That according to the condition to which he had submitted himselfe, he might provide for his life after the manner of men. 3. That he might withal shew, that he was the man, that should bring us out of spirituall Egypt into the promised Land.

23. In his subjection to his parents which pertaineth to the fift precept of the Decalogue, he did shew that he was subject to the whole morall Law. 1. Because

there is the same reason of one precept as of all. 2. Because there is no part of morall obedience from which Christ the Lord of Heaven and Earth might seem to be more free, then from subjection to men.

24. Although that this legall obedience was required of Christ now made man by right of Creation, yet because he was made man, not for himselfe, but for us, it was a part of that humiliation, satisfaction and merit, which God required, and accept of him for us.

25. In this subjection these two things are to be observed. The exception which hee did suffer, and the effect which it did bring forth.

26. The exception was the disputation which he had with the Scribes, when he was but twelve yeares old.

27. This disputation was a foregoing testimony, of that publick calling whereby he was ordained and sent to be a master and teacher of Israel.

28. It was also to teach, that that knowledge and wisedome wherewith Christ was endued, was not gotten, by progresse of time, but conferred or infused of God from the beginning.

29. The effect of this subjection was his labouring with his hands, that is, an enduring of that curse of ours, whereby it comes to passe that we eat our bread with that labour in the sweat of the face.

30. His publique life is that whereby he openly manifested himselfe to be the Messias. In this life, there was. 1. The enterance. 2. The progresse. 3. The conclusion.

31. Unto the entrance pertaines his Baptisme and Tentation.

32. The Baptisme of Christ was his publick inauguration to the publick performance of his office: therefore in it, the three offices of Christ are affirmed, and confirmed.

33. They are affirmed by the testimony of the father

publickely pronouncing that Iesus Christ is his Sonne, and so that he appointed a king by him, even that King in whom he is well pleased, that is, a chiefe Priest, who by his intetcession should take away the sins of the World, and a chiefe Prophet, Mat. 3. 17. & 17. 3. This is my Sonne in whom I am well pleased, heare him.

34. The same offices are confirmed by signes: namely, by opening of Heaven, descending of the holy Spirit under the bodily shape of a Dove, resting upon Christ, and an audible voyce sent downe from Heaven, whereby the testimony of the Father was signified.

35. They were also confirmed by the testimony of Iohn, who was appointed, for a witnesse, preacher and forerunner of Christ, and being certified of Christ partly by the revelation of the Spirit, & partly by those signes before mentioned, he did testifie of him before others.

36. Moreover by the Baptisme of Christ, our Baptisme was confirmed, and sanctified: and withall the person is declared to whom Baptisme doth so adhere, that all the force of it is to be sought for in him.

37. Christ was tempted, that he might shew that he was much stronger then the first Adam, and that he could also overcome tentations, and also helpe us with a fellow-feeling.

38. The progresse of his publicke life was in poverty and labour.

39. The poverty of Christ was without a singular vow, and without beggery.

40. The labour of Christ was in travailing through divers Countries, in watchings, and in greatest intention of all his strength to doe good.

41. 2. This publique life of Christ was performed in preaching, and working miracles, unto the preaching of Christ was alwayes joyned, in respect of himselfe, grace and authority. In respect of others either opening, or hardening of heart.

42. The object of h[gap]s preaching was properly the Gospell, or Kingdome of Heaven. Marc. 1. 14. Preaching the Gospell of the Kingdome of God.

43. The end of his miracles was. 1. To demonstrate the person of Christ. 2. To confirme his doctrine. 3. To signifie his spirituall operations.

44. Christ wrought miracles, in the Angels, in men, in brute Creatures, in things without life: In Heaven, in Earth, in the Aire, and in the Sea: in things corporeall, and spirituall: that he might shew, his universall and Divine power to be of equall force in every kind of thing.

45. The conclusion of the life of Christ was in the very preparation to death.

46. His preparation to death was in his instructing his Disciples, and conforting them.

47. This instruction and consolation was partly exercised in his transfiguration, Luc. 9. 31. Moses and [gap] appearing in glory did tell of his departure. And by those Sacraments which looke to the death of Christ by a certaine speciall respect, namely the passeover, and supper of the Lord: partly in example, Iohn 13. 15. I have given you example, that as I have done to, you, so also should ye doe, partly in his last Sermon, Iohn 14. & 15. & 16. and partly in his prayer, Iohn 17.