The faith of Daniel was, that God would 'shew mercy for the Lord's sake,' Dan. ix. 17. and of all the prophets; that the 'Redeemer should come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob,' Isa. lix. 20.

Of the same nature were all his personal appearances under the Old Testament, especially that most illustrious representation made of him unto the prophet Isaiah, chap. vi. And the glorious revelation of his name, chap. ix. 6.

It is true, that both these and other prophets had revelations concerning his sufferings also. For the Spirit of Christ that was in them, testified beforehand of his sufferings, and the glory that should ensue,' 1 Pet. i. 11. an illustrious testimony whereunto we have given us, Psal. xxii. and Isa. liii. Nevertheless their conceptions concerning them were dark and obscure. It was his person that their faith principally regarded. Thence were they filled with desires and expectations of his coming, or his exhibition and appearance in the flesh. With renewed promises hereof did God continually refresh the church in its straits and difficulties. And hereby did God call off the body of the people from trust in themselves, or boasting in their present privileges, which they were exceedingly prone unto.

In process of time, this faith, which wrought effectually in the church of Israel, degenerated into a lifeless opinion that proved the ruin of it. Whilst they really lived in the faith of him as the Saviour and Redeemer of the church from all its spiritual adversaries, as he who was to make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness, unto whom all their present ordinances were subservient and directive; all grace, love, zeal, and patient waiting for the accomplishment of the promise, flourished among them. But in process of time growing carnal, trusting in their own righteousness, and the privileges which they had, by the law, their faith concerning the person of Christ degenerated into a corrupt, obstinate opinion, that he should be only a temporal king and deliverer; but as unto righteousness and salvation, they were to trust unto themselves and the law. And this prejudicate opinion, being indeed a renunciation of all the grace of the promises of God, proved their utter ruin. For when he came in the flesh, after so many ages,

filled up with continued expectations, they rejected and despised him as one that had neither form nor comeliness, for which he should be desired. So doth it fall out in other churches. That which was faith, truly spiritual and evangelical in their first planting, becomes a lifeless opinion in succeeding ages. The same truths are still professed, but that profession springs not from the same causes, nor doth it produce the same effects in the hearts and lives of men. Hence, in process of time, some churches continue to have an appearance of the same body which they were at first, but being examined, are like a lifeless, breathless carcase; wherein the animating spirit of grace doth not dwell. And then is any church, as it was with that of the Jews, nigh to destruction, when it corrupts formerly professed truths, to accommodate them unto the present lusts and inclinations of men.

CHAP. IX.

HONOUR DUE TO THE PERSON OF CHRIST; THE NATURE

AND CAUSES OF IT.

MANY other considerations of the same nature with those foregoing, relating unto the glory and honour of the person of Christ, may be taken from all the fundamental principles of religion. And our duty it is in them all, to 'consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, the author and finisher of our faith.' I shall not insist on more, but proceed unto those principles of truth which are immediately directive of our duty towards him; without diligent attendance whereunto, we do but in vain bear the name of Christians. And the substance of what is designed may be included in the following assertion:

The glory, life, and power of Christian religion, as Christian religion, and as seated in the souls of men, with all the acts and duties which properly belong thereunto, and are therefore peculiarly Christian, and all the benefits and privileges we receive

by it, or by virtue of it, with the whole of the honour and glory that arise unto God thereby, have all of them their formal nature and reason, from their respect and relation unto the person of Christ; nor is he a Christian who is otherwise minded.

In the confirmation hereof, it will appear what judgment ought to be passed on that inquiry, which, after the uninterrupted profession of the Catholic church for so many ages of a faith unto the contrary, is begun to be made by some amongst us; namely, of what use is the person of Christ in religion? For it proceeds on this supposition, and is determined accordingly, that there is something in religion wherein the person of Christ is of no use at all. A vain imagination, and such as is destructive unto the whole real intercourse between God and man, by the one and only Mediator.

The respect which we have in all acts of religion unto the person of Christ, may be reduced unto these four heads: (1.) Honour. (2.) Obedience. (3.) Conformity. (4.) The use we make of him, for the attaining and receiving of all gospel privileges, all grace and glory. And hereunto the whole of our religion, as it is Christian or evangelical, may be reduced.

First, The person of Christ is the object of divine honour and worship. The formal object and reason hereof is the divine nature, and its essential infinite excellencies. For they are nothing but that respect unto the divine Being, which is due unto it from all rational creatures regulated by revelation, and enforced by divine operations. Wherefore the person of Christ is primarily the object of divine honour and worship, upon the account of his divine nature and excellencies. And those who, denying that nature in him, do yet pretend to worship him with divine and religious adoration, do but worship a golden calf of their own setting up for a Christ, who is not over all, God blessed for ever, is not better. And it implies a contradiction, that any creature should, on any account, be the immediate proper object of divine worship; unless the divine essential excellencies be communicated unto it, or transfused into it, whereby it would cease to be a creature. For that worship is nothing but the ascription of divine excellencies unto what is so worshipped.

But we now consider the Lord Christ, in his whole entire person, the Son of God incarnate, God manifest in the flesh. His infinite condescension in the assumption of our nature, did no way divest him of his divine essential excellencies. For a time they were shadowed and veiled thereby, from the eyes of men ; when he made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant. But he eternally and unchangeably continued 'in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal unto him,' Phil. ii. 6, 7. He can no more really and essentially, by any act of condescension or humiliation, cease to be God, than God can cease to be. Wherefore his being clothed with our nature, derogates nothing from the true reason of divine worship due unto him, but adds an effectual motive unto it. He is therefore the immediate object of all duties of religion, internal and external. And in the dispensation of God towards us, none of them can be performed in a due manner without a respect unto him.

This, then, in the first place, is to be confirmed; namely, that all divine honour is due unto the Son of God incarnate, that is, the person of Christ.

John v. 23. It is the will of the Father, 'That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that sent him.' Some considerations on this divine testimony will confirm our position. It is of the Son incarnate that these words are spoken; as all judgment was committed unto him by the Father, as he was sent by him, ver. 22. that is, of the whole person of Christ in the exercise of his mediatory office. And with respect hereunto it is that the mind of God is peculiarly revealed. The way whereby God manifesteth his will, that all men should thus honour the Son as they honour the Father, is by committing all power, authority, and judgment unto him; ver. 20, 21, 22. 'For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doth; and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.' Not that these things are the for

mal reason and cause of the divine honour which is to be given him; but they are reasons of it, and motives unto it, in that they are evidences of his being the Son of God.

But it may be said, what need is there that the Father should so interpose an act of his will and sovereign pleasure, as to this honouring of the Son, seeing the whole cause and reason of this divine honour is the divine nature, which the Son is no less partaker of than the Father? I answer, (1.) He doth not in this command intend the honour and worship of Christ absolutely as God, but distinctly as the Son, which peculiar worship was not known under the Old Testament, but was now declared necessary in the committing all power, authority, and judgment unto him. This is the honour whereof we speak. (2.) He doth it, lest any should conceive that he was now sent of the Father, and that in the form of a servant, this honour should not be due unto him. And the world was then far from thinking that it was so, and many, I fear, are yet of the same mind.

He is therefore to be honoured by us, according to the will of God, kas, in like manner as we honour the Father. (1.) With the same honour; that is, divine, sacred, religious, and supreme. To honour the Father with other honour, is to dishonour him. When men design to give glory and honour to God which is not truly divine, it is idolatry. For this honour in truth is nothing but the ascription of all infinite divine excellencies unto him. Whereon when men ascribe unto him that which is not so, they fall into idolatry by the worship of their own imaginations. So was it with the Israelites when they thought to have given glory to God by making a golden calf, whereon they proclaimed a feast unto Jehovah, Exod. xxxii. 5. And so was it with the heathens in all their images of God, and the glory which they designed to give him thereby, as the Apostle declares, Rom. i. 23, 25. This is one kind of idolatry, as the other is the ascribing unto creatures any thing that is proper and peculiar unto God, any divine excellency. And we do not honour God the Father with one kind of honour, and the Son with another. That were not to honour the Son xaows as we honour the Father, but in a way infinitely different from it.