conftant in his Service, and then we may be con fident, that he will blefs us, and preferve us from the Evil in the World, and keep us by his Power unto Salvation. СНА XII. OfCHRIST's HUMILIATION; OFCHRIST's A INCARNATION. FTER the Explication of the Offices of Chrift, the States wherein he executed his Offices fitly follow. The States of Chrift the Mediator are Two: The one of Humiliation, the other of Exaltation. THE State of Chrift's Humiliation was that low Condition, wherein, for our fakes, he humbled himself to be made Man, and became obedient unto Death, and was buried, and continued under the Power of Death until the third Day. This State agrees to the Perfon of Chrift according to his Human Nature. The Perfon of Chrift was humbled, in that he made himfelf of no Reputation, and took upon him the Nature of Man; and in that Nature fuffered and died to fatisfie the Juftice of God for our Sins. And according to his Humane Nature, Chrift humbled himfelf by affuming the common Infirmities belonging to the Nature of Man, and by enduring Q 4 thofe those Miseries and Punishments which were due unto us for Sin. But according to his Divine Nature, Christ was not properly humbled; for the Divine Nature is not fubject to any fuffering. Nor doth the Holy Scripture attribute any Humiliation to the Divine Nature of Christ, but only to his Perfon according to his Humane Nature. THE State of Chrift's Humiliation confifts of four Degrees. I. His Incarnation. II. Sufferings. III. Burial. IV. Defcent into Hell. THE firft Degree of Chrift's Humiliation was his Incarnation. The Son of God, who is equal with the Father in all Perfections, was made true Man, like unto us. For when the fulness of time was come, God fent forth his fon made of a woman, Gal. iv. 4. And Chrift the Son of God was incarnate in an extraordinary way, being conceived by the Holy Ghoft, and born of a pure Virgin. The Parts of Chrift's Incarnation are thefe two. I. His Conception. II. His Birth. I. THE firft Part of Chrift's Incarnation was his Conception; wherein he was made Man by the wonderful Virtue and Power of the Holy Ghoft, of the Subftance of the Bleffed Virgin, without any Sin and Impurity. Though Chrift was made Man, like unto us, yet he was not made after that manner as we are by Generation, but by the miraculous Operation of the Holy Ghost, whereby the Bleffed Virgin Mary was enabled above Nature to conceive him. The Virgin could not naturally conceive Chrift of her felf; nor did the Holy Ghoft conceive him without the Virgin. But by the fpecial Power and Bene diction diction of the Holy Ghoft, he was conceived of the Subftance of the Virgin. For Christ took Flesh of the Subftance of his Mother; and he brought not down Flesh from Heaven: He is called the Lord from Heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 47. because as God he came down from Heaven, or because his Humane Nature was endued with celeftial Gifts and Qualities. AND as Chrift was conceived by the wonderful Power of the Holy Ghost above the Course of Nature, fo he was conceived without any Sin. For he affumed the Substance of the Manhood without the Guilt and Corruption. And fuch an High-prieft became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, and Separate from finners, Heb. vii. 26. For if the Humane Nature of Chrift had been defiled with Sin, it could not have been united unto the Divinity, which is infinite in Purity. Nor could Chrift have faved others, if himself had not been innocent and holy. But because he came to fatisfie for Sin, and to fave us, he was free from all Guilt and Corruption in himfelf, and he did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth, 2 Cor. v. 21. 1 Pet. ii. 22. AND if Chrift was conceived by the Holy Ghost without Sin, then we should purifie our felves, and become holy, that Chrift may be formed in us. For Chrift cannot be conceived but in pure virgin Hearts, which are not defiled with the Polutions of the World, and the finful Lufts of the Flesh. And unless we cleanfe our felves from Sin, we cannot be united unto Chrift, nor have Communion with him. For he was manifefted to take away our fins, and in him is no fin. Whosoever abideth in him, finneth not whosoever finneth, hath not feen him, neither known him, 1 Joh. iii. 5, 6. II. THE II. THE fecond Part of Chrift's Incarnation was his Birth; which was wonderful and extraordinary, both in refpect of the Perfon, of whom he was born, and in respect of the Condition in which he was born, and alfo in respect of the Manifeftation of his Birth. I. THE Perfon, of whom Chrift was born, was the bleffed Virgin Mary of the Tribe of Judah, defcended from David. As Chrift was conceived by the Holy Ghoft, of the Substance of a pure Virgin; fo the continuing in her Virginity, brought him forth as her firft born Son. For it was foretold that the Meffias fhould be conceived and born of an unfpotted Virgin. Ifa. vii. 14. Behold a virgin fhall conceive and bear a fon, and fhall call his name Immanuel. And according to this Prophecy, our Lord Jefus was born of a pure Virgin. And that holy thing, which was born of her, is the Son of God, Luke i. 35. AND Chrift was born of fuch a Virgin, as was of the Tribe of Judah defcended from David. For God fwore with an oath to David, that of the fruit of his body he would raise up Chrift to fit on his throne, Pfal. cxxxv. 11. A&t. ii. 30. And accordingly Jefus, who we believe to be the Meffias, was made of the feed of David according to the flesh, Rom. i. 3. And he was born in the City of David, which was called Bethlehem, even as the Prophet Micah had foretold, Mic. v. 2. For Mary his Virgin Mother, and Jofeph alfo his reputed Father, were of the Houfe and Lineage of David. And though they lived in Nazareth of Galilee, yet by reafon of the Tax impofed by Auguftus Cafar, they went to their own City Bethlehem, where Jefus our Saviour was born, Luk. ii. 4, 5, 6, 7. AND AND though no more be needful to the Myftery of Chrift's Incarnation, but that his Mother was a Virgin when the brought him forth: Yet the Chriftian Church, in all Ages, hath believed that the continued always a Virgin. For though there is mention made of the Brethren of our Lord, Joh. ii. 12. Matth. xii. 46. Yet those were not the Sons of his Mother, but of his Mother's Sifter. And they are called his Brethren, according to the Hebrew Phrafe, which includeth Coufin-germans under the Name of Brethren. : 2. AND as the Birth of Chrift was mysterious, in that he was born of a pure Virgin So it was extraordinary in refpect of the Condition, in which he was born. Though he was the King of Glory; yet he made himfelf of no Reputation, and took upon him the Form of a Servant, and was ushered into the World with divers Circumstances of more than ordinary Meannels and Humility. For he was brought forth in a Stable among Beasts that perish, and laid in a Manger for want of better Accommodations. Though he was rich; yet for our fakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich, 2 Cor. viii. 9. He could indeed have come with external Power and Glory, as a Royal Meffias, fuch as the Jews expected: But this was not fuitable to the end of his coming, which was to reform the World upon Principles of Reafon, and to approve his Religion to the Confciences of Men. And this could not be done, but in a way of Humility, Innocence, and Patience. And therefore Chrift came in a mean Eftate, and patiently endured many Evils for doing good, that he might demonftrate the Truth of his Religion, and |