compassion in Him towards us, and whilst he represents his Own Sufferings in our behalf, We cannot think that he is unmindful and infenfible of Ours.

You fee then that in this DifpenJation of God for our Salvation, by fending his Son in our Nature, things are not only fuited in great condefcenfion to our apprehenfions, but are likewise in great compaffion to us every way fitted for our comfort and encouragement. God hath made him our great Patron and Advocate who was our Sacrifice and Propitiation. And furely we have all the reafon in the World to believe, that he who in the days of his flesh humbled himself and became obedient to the death for our fakes, will be ready to do us all good offices now that he is advanced to the right hand of God; that he who died for us upon Earth, now that he lives again, will make interceffion for us in Heaven

and

the Cross.

and perfect that Salvation which he purchased for us upon And therefore we find in Scripture that as the purchafing of our Salvation is afcribed to the Death and Sufferings of Chrift, fo the perfecting of it is attributed to his Interceffion for us at the right hand of his Father: Wherefore, fays the Apoftle to the Hebrews, he is able to fave to the uttermost all those that come to God by him, feeing he liveth for ever to make interceffion for us: He dyed once to purchase thefe benefits, but he lives for ever to procure them for us, and to apply them to us: And now that he is in Heaven, he is as intent upon our Concernments, and lays our Happiness as much to Heart as when he dwelt here among us on Earth, and poured out his Blood a Sacrifice for Sin upon the Cross: And that when he lived here below he fuffer'd and was tempted as we are this very confideration gives us the greatest affurance poffible that he is still touch

ed

ed with the feeling of our Infirmi ties, and hath a lively fenfe of our Sufferings; and consequently, that he doth compaffionate our Cafe and will use all his power and interest for our advantage, for our seasonable fupport and fuccour in all our trials and fufferings. But befides the wonderful Condefcenfion of this Difpenfation, there is likewife in the.

Fifth and laft place, a great Congruity and fitness in the thing it self; and this Method of our Salvation which the Wisdom of God hath

pitched upon is in many other refpects very much for our real benefit and comfort. For by this means we have a perfect and familiar Example of holiness and obedience in our own Nature, by which we plainly fee, that God requires nothing of us, but what he himself when he fubmitted to become Man did think fit to do: For being made of a Woman, he was of neceffity made under the Law, and by affuming humanNature

Nature he became naturally subject to the Laws and conditions of his Being.

And here likewife is a provision made for the Expiation and Forgivenefs of our Sins, in a way not only very honourable to the Juftice of God and the Authority of his Laws, but likewife very effectual to dif countenance Sin and to deter Men from it; fince God did not think fit to forgive the Sins of Men without great Sufferings, and that in our Nature: For though God was willing to fave the Sinner, yet rather than encouragement fhould be given to Sin by letting it go unpunish'd, he was contented to give up the dearly beloved of his Soul to be a Sacrifice and Propitiation for the Sins of

the whole World.

By the fame means also we have a most powerful Antidote against the fear of Suffering, and particu larly against the fear of Death, one of the greatest flaveries of human

Nature:

Heb. 2 Nature: So alfo the Apoftle to the 14, 15. Hebrews tells us, that for this caufe Christ himself also took part of flesh and blood, that by Death he might de-. ftroy him that had the power of Death; that is, the Devil; and might deliver those who through fear of Death were all their life-time fubject to bondage.

Again, we have hereby full affurance of a bleffed Immortality in another Life, because in our Nature Death and all the Powers of Darknefs were baffled and overcome. The Death of Chrift, which could not have been without his Incarnation, and fo likewife his Refurrection from the dead and his Afcenfion into Heaven, are fenfible Demonftrati→ ons to all Mankind of a bleffed Immortality after Death; which is the moft powerful motive in the World to Obedience and a holy Life.

And lastly, we may upon this account promife to our felves a fair and equal Trial at the Judgment of the great Day, becaufe we shall then

be