cause ought the women to have a covering on their heads, because of the angels," namely, which are there present. Upon this ground Chrysostom reproves the irreverent behavior of his auditory, (Chry. hom. 16. in 1 Cor. hom. 15. in Hebr.) "The church (saith he) is not a shop of manufactures, or merchandise, but the place of angels, and of archangels, the court of God, and the image or representation of heaven itself.-I know thou seest them not, but hear, and know that the angels are every where, and especially in the house of God, where they attend upon their king, and where all is filled with incorporeal powers." By this time I hope we know what is the meaning of Christ's presence in church assemblies: to wit, the presence of his Spirit, and the presence of his angels.

And if it be so, would not a persuasion of this presence of Christ in our church assemblies, be a special means or motive to bring all into order? Sometimes I wonder at the irreverent carriage of some hearers, laughing, talking, prating, sleeping, in our congregations: what, is this a demeanor beseeming the presence of angels, and the Spirit of Christ? Wouldst thou carry thyself thus in the presence of a prince, or of some earthly majesty? (Chrys. ib.)" if thou goest but into a king's palace, (as Chrysostom speaks) thou composest thyself to a comeliness in thy habit, look, gait, and all thy guise; and dost thou laugh?" I may add, dost thou any way carry thyself indecently in God's presence? Some there are that in the very midst of ordinances, the devil usually rocks them asleep; but oh! dost thou not fear that thy damnation sleeps not? How justly might Christ come against thee in his wrath, and whip thee out of the temple into hell? Surely we should do well to behave ourselves in such a presence, with the thoughts and apprehensions of heaven about us: our business here is an errand of religion, and God himself is the object of our worship: how then should our actions bear at least some few degrees of a proportionable address to God, and Christ, and the Spirit of Christ? What? Is Christ's presence in his Spirit, and his angels here? Oh! let us walk with God, as Enoch did, Gen. 5:22. Let us do all we do as in the presence of Christ, and his holy angels.

And now was the first passover after Christ's baptism; as it is written, John 2:13. "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem."

This was the first year of Christ's ministry; whereof the one half was carried on by his prodromus, or forerunner, John the Baptist: and the other half (betwixt bis baptism and this first passover) was carried on by hitself. And now hath Christ three years to his death. According to the method propounded, I shall come on to the second year, and to his actings therein, in reference to our soul's salvation.

CHAPTER II.

SECT. I. Of the second year of Christ's Ministry, and of his Acts in general for that year.

Now was it that the office of the Baptist was expired: and Christ beginning his prophetical office; he appears like the sun in his succession of the morning star: he takes at John, and preacheth the sum of the gos pel, faith and repentance, "Repent ye, and believe the gospel," Mark 1: Now, what this gospel was, the sum and series of all his following sermons expressed and declared. It is fully contained in the new cove

15.

nant, of which we have spoken: for what is the gospel but a covenant of grace, wherein all the imperfections of our works are made up by the perfection and grace of Jesus Christ? The gospel is not a covenant of works, (i. e.) it is not an agreement upon the stock of innocence, requiring strict and exact obedience, without any allowance of repentance: no, no, be holy, saith the gospel; and where that fails, repent, and believe. By this time the work in his hand was grown high and pregnant, and Jesus saw it convenient to choose more disciples: with this family he goes up and down the whole Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing all manner of diseases, curing demoniacs, cleansing lepers, giving strength to paralytics, and to lame people.

It is not my purpose to enlarge on all the sermons, miracles, conferences, or colloquies of Christ with men: I am not for large volumes; and I suppose with John, that if all the acts of Christ should be written, with commentaries on them, that even "the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." John 21:25.

In this year therefore I shall contract and limit myself to the consideration of Christ in these two particulars; as 1. To his preaching. 2. To his miracles: both these relate to the use and exercise of his prophetical office.

SECT. II. Of Christ's sermons this year.

1. His preaching this year was frequent, and amongst others his ser mons, now it was that he delivered that first sermon, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

2. Now was it that he delivered that spiritual and mystical sermon of regeneration, at which Nicodemus wonders, John 3:4. "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?" But Jesus takes off the wonder, in telling him, This was not a work of flesh and blood, but of the Spirit of God, "for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth;" and is as the wind certain and notorious in the effects, but secret in the principle and manner of production. Then Christ proceeds in his sermon, telling him yet of higher things, as of his descent from heaven, of his passion and ascension, and of the mercy of redemption, which he came to work and effect for all that believe; of the love of the Father, the mission of the Son, the rewards of faith, and glories of eternity. And this was the sum of his sermon to Nicodemus, which was the fullest of mystery and speculation that ever he made, except that which he made immediately before his death.

3. Now was it that the throng of auditors forcing Christ to leave the shore, he makes Peter's ship his pulpit, Luke 5:1,2,3,4. Never were there any such nets cast out of that fisher-boat before: while he was upon land, he healed the sick bodies by his touch, and now he was upon sea, he cured the sick souls by his doctrine: he that made both sea and land, caused both to conspire to the opportunities of doing good to the souls and bodies of men.

4. Now it was that he preached that blessed sermon on that text, Luke 4:18. "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." No question but he preached both to poor and rich. Christ preached to all, but for the power and fruit of his preaching, it was only received and entertained by the poor in Spirit. In the following particulars, his office is set out still in a higher tenor, “To heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; or as it is in Isaiah 61:1. "The opening

of the prison to them that are bound." A sad thing to be bound in captivity, put sadder to be bound in chains or locked up in a prison there; but it is most sad of all to be imprisoned having one's eyes put out; as it was the case of Samson and Zedekiah. Now the evangelist willing to render the prophet to the highest comfortable sense that might be, he useth an expression that meets with the highest mystery; that is, when a man is not only shut up in a blinded prison, but when he himself also hath his eyes put out; and to such Christ should preach: preach what? Not only deliverance to the captives, but also of restoring of light to captive prisoners; nay, yet more, "recovering of sight to blinded prisoners," as the evangelist renders it, Luke 4:18.

5. Now it was that he delivered the admirable sermon, called, "The sermon upon the mount:" it is a breviary of all these precepts which are truly called Christian: it contains in it all the moral precepts given by Moses, and opens a stricter sense, and more severe exposition than the Scribes and Pharisees had given; it holds forth the doctrines of meekness, poverty of spirit, Christian mourning, desire of holy things, mercy and purity, and peace, and patience, and suffering of injuries: he teacheth us how to pray, how to fast, how to give alms, how to contemn the world, and how to seek the kingdom of God, and its appendant righteousness.

And thus Christ being entered upon his prophetical office; in these and the rest of his sermons, he gives a clear testimony, that he was not only an interpreter of the law, but a lawgiver; and that this law of Christ might retain some proportion at least with the law of Moses, Christ in this last sermon went up into a mountain, and from thence gave the oracle. I cannot stand to paraphrase on this, or any other of his sermons, but seeing now we find Christ in the exercise of his prophetical office, let us observe, 1. His titles in this respect. 2. The reason of his being a prophet. 3. The excellency of Christ above all other prophets; and then we have done.

SECT. III. Of Christ's Prophetical Office.

1. THE titles of Christ, in respect of his prophetical office, were these, 1. Sometimes he is called doctor, or Master, Matth. 23:10. "Be ye not called masters, for one is your Master, even Christ;" the word is (Kathegetes,) which signifies a doctor, moderator, teaching-master, a guide of the way. 2. Sometimes he is called a lawgiver, James 4:12. "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy." The apostle speaks of the internal government of the conscience, in which case the Lord is our judge, Isa. 33:22. "The Lord is our lawgiver, The Lord is our king, he will save us." We must hear no voice in our consciences, but God's: no doctrine in the church, but Christ's: no offices, institutions and worship must be allowed, but such as he hath appointed; and therefore, when men brought in foreign doctrines, it is said, "That they did not hold the head," Col. 2:19. 3. Sometimes he is called a Counsellor, " And his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor," Isa. 9:6. "Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom," saith Christ, "I am understading, and I have strength," Prov. 8: 14. Christ, by his office, counsels men how to fly sin, and how to please God, and how to escape hell, and how to be saved. 4. Sometimes he is called the apostle of our profession, Heb. 3:1. "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle, and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." God sent him as an ambassador to make known his will; he came not unsent; the very word imports a mission, a sending, Rom. 10:15. "How shall they preach except they be sent?” Let all those who run before they be sent take notice of this, for this

would not Christ do; he was sent; he was the apostle of our profession. 5. Sometimes he is called the angel of the covenant, Mal. 3:1. "Even the angel of the covenant whom he delights in." Christ was the publisher of the gospel covenant, he declared the gracious purpose of God towards the elect held forth in the covenant; and in this respect, he is called "a prophet," Acts. 3:22. and "the prophet," John 7:40. and "that prophet," 6:14. "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world;" whose office it was to impart God's will unto the sons of men, according unto the name angel. 6. Sometimes he is called the Mediator of the new covenant, Heb. 9:15. "For this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament," saith the apostle; now, a Mediator is such a one as goes betwixt two parties at variance, imparting the mind of the one to the other, so as to breed a right understanding, and thereby to work a compliance betwixt both. And thus Christ is a Mediator betwixt God and us; by him it is that the mind and will of God is imparted to man, John 1:18. "No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which, is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him;" and by him it is that we impart our mind unto God, Rev. 8:4. "The smoke of the incense which goes up with the prayers of the saints, ascends up before God out of the angel's hand." This was typified in Moses, Deut. 5:5. "I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord." The vulgar renders it thus, Ego sequester et medius, I was a Mediator, a middler betwixt God and you: and so Christ Jesus is a Mediator, a middler, an interpreter, an intermessenger betwixt God and his people.

2. The reasons of Christ's being a prophet were these; 1. That he might reveal and deliver to his people the will of his Father. 2. That he might open and expound the same, being once delivered. 3. That he might make his saints to understand, and to believe the same, being once opened.

1. As a prophet, he delivers to the people his Father's will, both in his own person, and by his servants the ministers: in his own person, when he was upon earth as a "minister of the circumcision," Rom. 15:8. and by his servants the ministers, from the beginning of their mission to the end of the world: thus the gospel is called, Heb. 2:3. A great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. Christ in his own personal preaching, is said but "to have begun to teach," Acts. 1:1. And the consummate publication was the sending of the Holy Ghost to these select vessels, who were to carry abroad this treasure unto all the world: it was begun by the Lord, and it was confirmed by them that were the disciples of the Lord. In this respect, we cannot look on the publishing of the gospel to the world, but as very glorious: was there not a resemblance of state and glory in the preaching of Christ? You have heard how a forerunner was sent to prepare his way, as a herald to proclaim his approach, and then was revealed the glory of the Lord; but, because the publication was not consummate till afterwards, Christ carries it on in a greater state afterwards than he did before, Eph. 4:8. "When he ascended up on high, he then led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men;" as princes in the time of their solemn inauguration do some special acts of magnificence and honor, they proclaim pardons, open prisons, create nobles, fill conduits with wine; so Christ to testify the glory of the gospel at the day of his instalment, and solemn re-admission into his Father's glory, he proclaims the gospel, gives gifts unto men, verse 12. "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

2. As a prophet, he opens and expounds the gospel. Thus, being in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, Luke 4:17,18.21. "He opened the book, and he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor," &c. and then he closed the book, and said, "this day is this 'scripture fulfilled in your ears." And thus joining himself with two of his disciples, going towards Emmaus, Luke 24:27. "He began at Moses, and all the prophets, and he expounded unto them in all the scriptures, the things concerning himself." "The prophecies of Christ were dark, and hard to be understood, and therefore Christ came down from heaven to discover such truths," John 3:13. "No man hath ascended up to heav en," i. e. to be acquainted with God's secrets, "but he that came down from heaven." The gracious purpose of God towards lost mankind, was a secret locked up in the breast of the Father; and so it had been even to this day, had not Christ, who was in the bosom of the Father; and one of his privy council, revealed it unto us; hence Christ is called, "The interpreter of God, no man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him," by his interpretation, Matth. 11:27.

3. As a prophet, he gives us to understand, and to believe the gospel, Luke 24:45. "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures:" and thus was the case of Lydia, "whose heart the Lord opened," Acts 16:14. He that at first opens scriptures, at last opens hearts, John 1:9. "He is that true light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world." He enlightens every believer, not only with a common natural light, but with a special supernatural light, of saving, spiritual, and effectual knowledge: now, there is no prophet can do this save only Jesus Christ; he only is able to cause our hearts to believe and to understand the matter, which he doth teach and reveal., Other prophets may plant and water, Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but be, and only he can "give the increase:" other prophets may teach and baptize, but unless Christ come in by the powerful presence of his Spirit, they can never be able to save any poor soul, 1 Pet. 2:5. “ We, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house," saith Peter: but Psal. 127:1. "Except the Lord do build the house, they labor in vain that build it." O, alas! Who is able to breathe the Spirit of life into these dead stones, but he of whom it is written, John 5:25. "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it, shall live?" Who can awaken a dead soul out of a dead sleep? And who can give light unto these blind eyes of ours, but he of whom it is written, Eph. 5:14. "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light?"

3. The excellencies of Christ above all other prophets, are in these re spects:

1. Other prophets were but shadows and types of this great prophet; even Moses himself was but a figure of him, Acts 7:37, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me," saith Moses: these words "like unto me," do plainly shew, that Moses was at the best but an image and shadow of Christ: now, as substances do far excel shadows, so doth Christ far excel all the prophets; they were but shadows and forerunners to him.

2. Other prophets revealed but some part of God's will, and only at some times. God, saith the apostle, "at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past, unto the fathers by the prophets," Heb. 1:1. i. e. He let out light by little and little, till the day-star and Sun of right