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in what Terms he pleafed, or with the Perfon of our Surety, and the Son of God, who was incapable of eternal Death and Defperation, for him to fuffer the fame Kind of Punishment which was due to us, was neither impofed nor proper; it was enough he fuffered what was required, and made Satisfaction for all our Tranfgreffions, whereby the Honour of the Divine Laws was preferved, our Guilt expiate, and our felves received into Favour again; as it is written, He hath made him to be Sin for us, who knew no Sin; that is, a Sacrifice for our Sins, that we might be made the Righ- 5. 21. teoufnefs of God in him, and by him; therefore he is called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, becaufe he Jer. is the procuring Caufe and Difpenfer of all our Graces 23.6. and all our Righteoufnefs.

O the Depth of the Riches, both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his Judgments, and his. Ways past finding out.

IV. This brings us, in the laft Place, to fpeak of the End of the Incarnation, why God fent forth his Son to be made of a Woman, and to be made under the Law, which was to redeem us, who were under the Law, and under the Curfe of the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons. It was to redeem us from all Evil, and to adopt us to all Good, even unto the glorious Liberty and Privilege of the Children of God: He came to feek and to fave that which was loft, that the World might have Life, and have it more abundantly; this was his Errand into the World, and therefore he was called Jefus, that he might fave his People from their Sins.

This Word Redemption is a borrowed Expreffion, and implies the Payment of a Ranfom or Price in Exchange of one in Thraldom or Mifery; fuch was our Redemption, and fuch was our former Condition, a

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Condition of Sin and Mifery, a State of Darkness and the Shadow of Death, which we had voluntarly brought upon our felves, in liftening to the Tempter, and leaving God, and thereby were expofed to the Malice of our fpiritual Enemies, and all the Severities of the Divine Juftice, Having no Hope, and without God in the World; but when the Fulness of Time, &c.

This likewife was the Price of our Redemption, even the Incarnation of the Son of God, and the Blood of the Son of God, by which he. fatisfied the Law for all our Debts, until the uttermoft Farthing, and cancelled the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us, and reconciled us unto the Father, giving himfelf for us, an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a fweet smelling Savor. Lefs he would not give, and more could not be defired than this voluntary Oblation of himself, and Interceffion in our Behalf, which was an Inftance of immenfe Love and infinitely obliging Kindness; here was Perfon for Perfon, and Life for Life, he gave his Body to redeem our Bodies, and his Soul to redeem our Souls, when he made his Soul an Offering for Sin, he was made a Curfe, that we might be made Happy, even the bleffed of the Lord, as it is written, Chrift bath. redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curfe for us; for it is written, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a Tree, that the Bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Fefus Christ, that we might receive che Promife of the Spirit through Faith.

Verily this was a great Bleffing, that Chrift fhould redeem us from the Curfe of the Law, but greater yet, that we should receive the Adoption of Sons, To be Heirs of God, and Rom.8. joint Heirs with Chrift; A Privilege fo great, fo 17, 31. tranfcendent, that the beloved Difciple, wanting Words to express the fame, he breaks out into Admiration, Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God. Such Honour have all Believers in Jefus Chrift, to be called the Children of the Higheft, as it is written, He was in the World, and

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the World was made by him, and the World knew him not; He came to his own, and his own received him not, but as many as received him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. And again, Both he that fanctifieth, and they that are fanctified, are all of one, for which Gaufe he is not ashamed to call them Brethren.

O fublime Dignity, unfpeakable Comfort, and excellent Privilege of Adoption, whereby we partake of the Divine Nature, having Accefs to the Throne of Grace, and cry Abba Father. Bleffed be God the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all fpiritual Bleffings in heavenly Places in Chrift; according as he hath chofen us in him before the Foundation of the World, that we should be Holy and Blamelefs before him in Love, having predeftinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift unto himself, according to the good Pleasure of his Will, to the Praife of the Glory of his Grace; wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have Redemption through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins, according to the Riches of his Grace. For as much then as we are not redeemed with corruptible Things, as Silver and Gold, from our vain Converfation, but with the precious Blood of Chrift, as of a Lamb without Blemish, and without Spot. Let us be Holy, as he that redeemed us is Holy in all manner of Converfation: For the Grace of God, the Gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all Men; teaching us, that denying Ungodliness and worldly Lufts, we fhould live Soberly, Righteously and Godly in this prefent evil World, refembling each one the Children of a King, and the Children of our heavenly Father, as a chofen Generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, and a peculiar People, that we fhould fhow forth the Praife of him that called us out of Darkness into his marvellous Light, which in Times paft were no People, but now are the People of God; which had not obtained Mercy, but now obtain Mercy. The Scriptures abound with Teftimonies and Exhortations to

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this Purpose, that we being delivered out of the Hands of all our Enemies, might ferve him without Fear of them all the Days of our Life: For to this End was the Son of God manifefted in the Flesh, and made Way through all the Clouds of Heaven, that he might deftroy all the Works of the Devil, and tell Men how paffionately he loved them, and longed for their Happiness, to fhow them the Way to Heaven by his Holy Life and excellent Doctrines, that he might bring many Sons into Glory.

Now, of the Things which we have fpoken, this is the Sum, That the Lord Jefus Chrift the Son of God, and for our fakes the Son of Man, is both God and Man in one Perfon: God of the Subftance of the Father, begotten before the World; and Man of the Subftance of his Mother, born in the World, perfect God and perfect Man, of a reasonable Soul and humane Flesh fubfifting, who although he be God and Man, yet he is not Two but One, Chrift not by Converfion of the Godhood into Flefh, but by Affumption of the Manhood into the Godhood altogether; not by Confufion of Subftance, but by Unity of Perfon: For as the reafonable Soul and Flefh is one Man, fo God and Man is one Chrift. So we Confefs every one of us with the Catholick Church, I believe in God the Father· Almighty, and in one Lord Jefus Chrift, who for us Men, and for our Salvation came down from Heaven, was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the bleffed. Virgin Mary. This is a faithful Saying, and worthy of all Acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the World to fave Sinners, of whom I am the Chief: So faid St. Paul, and fo fhould every Penitent' fay of himself, in a deep Sense of his Sins, and the Divine Goodness.

O bleffed God, what Joy and Confolation results from this comfortable Doctrine of the Incarnation; as the Angels faid: unto the Shepherds, Behold, I bring you glad Tidings of great Joy, which shall be to all People: For unto you is born this Day, in the City of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord: Without whom, we had never known God our Friend, or he us, for

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other than Enemies. Can two walk together except they be agreed? For our God is a confuming Fire: But now he hath reconciled us to himself by Chrift Jefus, not imputing our Trefpaffes unto

us.

When the Wife Men faw Chrift's Star, they rejoiced with exceeding great Joy, how much more when they faw Chrift himself? Father Abraham rejoiced to fee. this Day afar of, and the Baptift leapt in his Mother's Womb for Joy at the Salutation of the bleffed Virgin, when Chrift was yet unborn.

How fhould our Hearts leap within us for Joy, For unto us a Child is born, and unto us a Son is given, of the Increase of whofe Government and Peace there shall be no End, from henceforth, even for ever; The Zeal of the LORD of Hofts hath done this.

Awake, awake, put on thy Strength, O Zion, put on thy beautiful Garments, O Jerufalem, the holy City.

Ofing unto the LORD a new Song, for he hath done marveltoufly.

His right Hand and holy Arm hath gotten him the Victory, the LORD hath made known his Salvation, his Righteousness hath be openly fhewed unto the World, he hath remembred his Mercy and his Truth towards the Houfe of Ifrael. All the Ends of the Earth hath feen the Salvation of our God.

Therefore let the Heavens rejoice, and let the Earth be glad, let the Sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

Let the redeemed of the LORD rejoice, whom he hath redeemed from the Hand of the Enemy.

Kings of the Earth and all People, young Men and Maids, old Men and Children.

Let all fing a Part with the Angels in that Christmas Anthem, Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth Peace, good Will towards Men.. Amen, and Amen.

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