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ix. 4. + The righteous God holds himself obliged to vindicate oppressed innocency, though it be in the persons of wicked men, how much more when it is in a member of Christ? " He that *" toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye," Zech. ii. 8. And is it to be imagined, that Christ will fit still, and suffer his enemies to hurt or injure the very apples of his eyes: No, no, " He hath ordained his arrows against the perfecutors," Pfalm vii. 13.

O it were better thine hand should wither, and thine arm fall from thy fhoulder, than ever it should be lifted up against Christ, in the poorest of his members. Believe it, firs, not only your violent actions, but your hard speeches, are all fet down upon your doom's-day book; and you shall be brought to an account for them in the great day, Jude 15. Beware what arrows you shoot, and be sure of your mark before you shoot them.

Inter. 7. If there be fuch a union betwixt Christ and the fuints, as hath been described, upon what comfortable terms then, may believers part with their bodies at death?

Chrift your head is risen, therefore you cannot be lost: nay, he is not only rifen from the dead himself, but is also " become "the first-fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. xv. 20. Believers are his members, his fulness, he cannot therefore be complete without you: a part of Chrift cannot perish in the gravet, much less burn in hell. Remember, when you feel the natural union diffolving, that this mystical union can never be dissolv. ed: the pangs of death cannot break this tie. And as there is a peculiar excellency in the believer's life, so there is a fingular fupport, and peculiar comfort in his death; To me to live is

Chrift, and to die is gain," Phil. i. 21.

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Infer. 8. If there be such a union betwixt Christ and believ ers, How doth it concern every man to try and examine his etate, whether he is really united with Christ or not, by the natu ral and proper effects, which always flow from this union? As,

† Agefilaus was wont to say, That he very much wondered, that those were not reckoned upin the number of facrilegious persons, who injured those who made fupplication to God, or worshipped him: By which he signified, that not only those should be reckoned injurious, who robbed the Gods themselves, or their temples, but even these chiefly who affronted their servants or heralds. Emyl. Prob.

† To say that the temple of God, in which the Spirit of the Father dwells, and the members of Christ, shall not partake of falvation, but be brought into perdition, what is it but the greatest blafphemy? Iren. lib. 5.

First, The real communication of Christ's holiness to the foul. We cannot be united with this root, and not partake of the vital sap of sanctification from him; all that are planted into him, are planted into the likeness of his death, and of his refurrection, Rom. vi. 5, 6. viz. by mortification and vivification.

-Secondly, They that are so nearly united to him, as members to the head, cannot but love him and value him, above their own lives; as we fee in nature, the hand and arm will interpose to fave the head. The nearer the union, the stronger always is the affection.

Thirdly, The members are subject to the head. Dominion in the head must needs infer fubjection in the members, Eph. v. 24. In vain do we claim union with Christ as our head, whilft we are governed by our own wills, and our lufts give us law.

Fourthly, All that are united to Christ, de bear fruit to God, Rom. vii. 4. Fruitfulness is the next end of our union: there are no barren branches growing upon this fruitful root.

Infer. 9. Lastly, How much are believers engaged to walk as the members of Christ, in the visible exercises of all those graces and duties, which the confideration of their near relation to him exacts from them. As,

First, How contented and well pleased should we be with our outward lot, however providence hath cast it for us in this world. O do not repine, God hath dealt bountifully with you; upon others he hath bestowed the good things of this world; upon you, himself in Christ.

Secondly, How humble and lowly in spirit should you be under your great advancement ! It is true, God hath magnified you greatly by this union, but yet do not swell, "You bear not "the root, but the root you," Rom. xi. 18. You shine, but it is as the stars, with a borrowed light.

Thirdly, How zealous should you be to honour Christ, who hath put so much honour upon you! Be willing to give glory to Christ, though his glory should rise out of your shame. Never reckon that glory that goes to Christ, to be lost to you: when you lie at his feet, in the most particular heart-breaking confefsions of fin, yet let this please you, that therein you have given him glory.

Fourthly, How exact and circumspect should you be in all your ways, remembring whose you are, and whom you represent! Shall it be said, that a member of Christ was convicted of vurighteousness and unholy actions! God forbid. "If we fay,

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"we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie," 1 John i. 6. "And he that faith he abideth in him, ought al"fo himself to walk even as he also walked," I John ii. 6.

Fifthly, How studious should you be of peace, among yourfolves, who are all so nearly united to such a Head, and thereby are made fellow-members of the same body! The Heathen world was never acquainted with such an argument as the apostle urges for unity, in Eph. iv. 3, 4.

Sixthly, and lastly, How joyful and comfortable should you be, to whom Chrift, with all his treafures and benefits, is effectually applied in this blessed union of your fouls with him! This brings him into your poffeffion: O how great! how glorious a perfon do these little, weak arins of your faith embrace !

Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ.

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SERMON

III.

Opening the Nature and Use of the Gospel-ministry, as an external Means of applying CHRIST.

2 COR. V. 20. Now then, we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Chrift's Stead, be ye reconciled to God.

T HE effectual application of Chrift, principally confifts in our union with him, but, ordinarily, there can be no union without a gospel-tender, and overture of him to our fouls; for, "How shall they believe in him, of whom they have

not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? " and how shall they preach, except they be fent?" Rom. x.

1.4.

* If God be upon a design of espoufing poor finners to his Son, there must be a treaty in order to it; that treaty requires interlocution betwixt both the parties concerned in it; but fuch is our frailty, that, should God speak immediately to us himself, it would confound and overwhelm us: God therefore gracioufly condescends, and accomodates himself to our infirmity, in treating with us in order to our unionwith Christ, by his ambassadors, and these not angels, whose converses we cannot bear, but men like ourselves, who are commissionated for the effecting of this great business betwixt Christ and us. "Now then, we are ambaffadors for God," &c. In which words you have,

First, Christ's ambassadors commissionated.
Secondly, Their commission opened.

First, Christ's ambassadors commiffionated. "Now then, we " are ambassadors for Chist." The Lord Jesus thought it not sufficient to print the law of grace, and blessed terms of our union with him in the scriptures, where men may read his willingness to receive them, and see the just and gracious terms and conditions upon which he offers to become theirs; but hath also so set up and established a standing office in the church, to expound that law, inculcate the precepts, and urge the promises thereof; to woo and espouse souls to Christ, "I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ," 2 Cor. xi. 20.; and this not simply from their own affections and compassious to miserable sinners, but also by virtue of their office and commission, whereby they are authorized and appointed to that work. "We then are ambassadors for " Chrift."

"

ed.

Secondly, Their commission opened: Wherein we find, 1. Their work appointed.

2. Their capacity described.

3. And the manner of their acting in that capacity prescrib

First, The work whereunto the ministers of the gospel are appointed, is to reconcile the world to God; to work these sinful, vain, rebellious hearts, which have a strong aversation from God naturally in them; to close with him according to the articles of peace contained in the gospel, that thereby they may be capable to receive the mercies and benefits purchased by the death of Christ, which they cannot receive in the state of enmity and alienation.

Secondly, Their capacity described: They act in Chrift's stead, as his vicegerents. He is no more in this world to treat perfonally with finners, as once he did in the days of his flesh; but yet he still continues the treaty with this lower world, by his officers, requiring men to look upon them, and obey then as they would himself, if he were corporally present, Luke x. 16. " He "that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, de spiseth me."

Thirdly, The manner of their acting in that capacity prescribed; and that is, by humble, sweet, and condescending entreaties and beseechings. This best suits the meek and lamb-like Saviour whom they represent: thus he dealt with poor finners himself, when he conversed among them; he" would not VOL. II.

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" break a bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flax," Ifa. xlii. 3. This is the way to allure and win the fouls of finners to Chrift.

Doct. That the preaching of the gospel by Christ's ambassadors, is the means appointed for the reconciling and bringing home of finners to Christ.

This is clear from Rom. x. 14., 1 Cor. i. 21. and many other scriptures.

Here we shall take into confideration these three things.

First, What is implied in Christ's treating with sinners by his ambassadors or ministers.

Secondly, What is the great concernment they are to treat with finners about.

Thirdly, What, and when is the efficacy of preaching, to bring finners to Chrift.

First, We will open what is implied and imported in Christ's treaty with finners, by his ambassadors or ministers. And here we find these six things implied.

1. It necessarily implies the defection and fall of man, froma his eftate of favour and friendship with God: If no war with heaven, what need of ambaffadors of peace? The very office of the ministry, is an argument of the fall. Gospel-ordinances, and officers came in upon the fall, and expire with the Mediator's dispensatory-kingdom, 1 Cor. xv. 2.4, 25. "Then shall he " deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father:" Thenceforth no more ordinances, no more ministers; What use can there be of them, when the treaty is ended? They have done and accomplished all they were ever intended and designed for, when they shall have reconciled to God all the number of his elect, that dispersed among the loft and miferable pofterity of Adam, and have brought them home to Christ in a perfect state, Eph. iv. 12, &c.

2. It implies the fingular grace and admirable condefcenfion of God to finful man. That God will admit any treaty with him at all, is wonderful mercy, it is more than he would do for the angels that fell, Jude 6. They are referved in everlasting "chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." Christ took not on him their nature, but fuffered myriads of them to perish, and fills up their vacant places in glory, with a number of finful men and women, to whom the law awarded the fame punishment.