faid, "The foul that finneth fhall die:" now, die we must, either in our own perfons, or in our Surety, in our own nature. If any angel had fulfilled the law, what had that been to us? it any angel had fuffered God's wrath, what had that been to us, to man? Though God allowed the change, or commutation of perfons, yet not the commutation of natures; the fame nature that finned muft fuffer.

(4.) He must be a man in refpect of the devil; the devil conquered man, and man muft conquer the devil : Satan mu be foiled by the fame nature that was foiled by him; "The feed of the woman muft bruife the head of the ferpent. For this caufe, therefore, the Son of God was manifefted in our fiefh, that he might deftroy the works of the devil."

(5.) He must be man in regard of fin, which must be cured by the contrary antedote. Our fin was pride, Gen. iii. 5.: being but men we defired to be gods; therefore the cure is by humility, wherefore God becomes man. Man broke the law, and man must keep, the law by our fin we tranfgreffed the boundaries of God's law; Chrift, therefore, is made of a woman, made under the law. Sin defaced the glory of God, therefore he who is the brightnefs of the Father's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, becomes of no reputation; and comes in the form of a fervant. Sin is a Deicide, ftriking at the being of God, feeking his life; therefore he that had a life equal with God's, laid down his life, for the fatisfaction of this wrong. "Awake, O fword, against the man that is my Fellow."

(6.) He must be a man in regard of paffability or fufferings; "Without fuffering, or fhedding of blood, there was no remiffion," He that will fave us then, must die: for us, and fhed his blood for us; which he could not do, had he been merely God; "For God is a Spirit." He becomes man, that he may be in cafe to enter the lifts with juftice: juftice could not get at him with one ftroke: but as foon as he was man, then, "Awake, O fword, against the man that is my Fellow, faith the Lord of hofts." But, why could not the fword of justice awake

1

1

awake against him till he was man? Why, as God, fin could not get hold of him; and fo juftice could not get a hit of him for fin: the law could not challenge him; the curfe could not reach him: but whenever he be comes man, our Surety, then they all flee about him ;' and compafs him about like bulls of Bafhan. As he becomes man for us, he becomes fin for us; and then he lay open to the curfe; and juftice took him by the throat; the fword awaked. When Chrift faw the dread. ful word of wrath, that was to be thrust through his heart, indeed it put the man to his knees, "Father, let this cup pals from me;" the human nature trembled, and fwate great drops of blood, in his proleptic agony: However, the man was God as well as man; and therefore he wrestled through. This might lead me,

3dly, To fhew you the need of his being both God. and man in one perfon: "The man, God's Fellow." The caufe of God, and the caufe of man is referred to Chrift; therefore he partakes of both natures, that he may be faithful to God, and merciful to man: a fit Mediator between God and man, to lay his hand upon both parties, while he partakes of both natures.-Our Redeemer must be both fubject to the law, and fulfil the law meritorioufly: now, if he had not been man, he could not be fubject to the law; and if he had not been God, he could not have merited by fulfilling the law; but now, being God-man, by his obedience, he hath magnified the law, and made it honourable.—Our Redeemer was to give his foul an offering for fin: now, if he had not been man, he could not have had a foul to offer; if he had not been God, his foul could not have upheld itself; but muft have died when his foul was exceeding forrowful even unto death: but now, his divine nature did fupport his human body, and his human foul, under the weight of that burden which would have crufhed a world of men and angels. Our Redeemer muft both suffer and fatisfy now, if he had not been man, he could not have fuffered; and if he had not been God, he could

could not have given fatisfaction by his fufferings: but, being God-man, his fufferings are dignified with infinite value and virtue,Our Redeemer muft both die for us, and conquer death now, if he had, not been man, he could not have died; and therefore he took on our nature, that he might tafte death for every man if he had not been God, he could not have deftroyed death, conquered death; but now, "He is declared to be the Son of God with power, by his refurrection from the dead." There is the man that is -God's Fellow. But now,

4thly, Confider the account we have of his mediatory office, "My Shepherd." Here you may a little view, 1. How he comes to be called a Shepherd. And, 2. How the Lord of hofts comes to call him his Shepherd; My Shepherd."

64

1. Then, how he is called a Shepherd. This will appear by noticing a few fcriptures wherein he is so defigned. He is called the Shepherd of Ifrael, Pfal. Ixxx. 1. He is called the Shepherd of fouls, 1 Pet. ii. 25. "You were like fheep gone aftray, but you are returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your fouls." He is called the good Shepherd, John x. 11. "I am the good Shepherd." O but it fets him well to commend himfelf! "I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd gives his life for his theep." He is called the Great Shepherd, Heb. xiii. 20. Now, the God of peace, that brought again from the dead, that Great Shepherd of the fheep, by the blood of the everlafting covenant, make you perfect," &c. He is called the Chief Shepherd, 1 Pet. v. 4. "When the Chief Shepherd fhall appear, ye fhall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." He has all the qualities of a good and great Shepherd. Does a fhepherd take care to provide for his flock and feed them? fo does Chrift; "The Lord is my Shepherd, I fhall not want. He feeds his flock like a Shepherd," Ifa. xl. II. He feeds them with the bread of life. Does a fhepherd water his flock? fo does Chrift; he gives them not only meat for their nourifhment, but drink for the refreshment of his weary flock; even the water of life, that flows from below

the

the throne, through the conduit of the gofpel; by which I understand the Spirit, that well of water fpringing up to everlasting life; and the influences of his grace, by which he ftrengthens, purifies, and comforts his people.- Does a fhepherd lead his flock to convenient paftures? fo does Chrift; "Give ear, O Shepherd of Ifrael, thou that leadeft Jofeph like a flock." He leads them to green paftures, and befide the ftill waters of Gofpel-ordinances and promifes: and thefe paftures are fweeter to them than honey or the honeycomb. Does the fhepherd heal his diftreffed flock? fo does Chrift; his name is, "JEHOVAH-ROPHi, I am the Lord that healeth thee." Is there any here that are poor difeafed fheep, plagued with atheifm, unbe lief, enmity, and pride? plagued with a backfliding heart? what think you of that Shepherd that fays, "I will heal your backflidings, and love you freely." Does the fhepherd feek out the loft fheep till he find it? fo does Chrift; "He came to feek and to fave that which was loft."-Does the fhepherd take fpecial care of the poor tender fheep, that is fo far behind that it can hardly follow the flock? fo does Chrift; "He gathers the lambs in his arms, carries them in his bofom, and gently leads thofe that are with young."--Does the fhepherd prevent the ftraying of the fheep, and bring back fuch as go aftray? fo does Chrift; he prevents their total apoftafy, according to his covenant, Jer. xxxii. 40. "I will make an everlafling covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they fhall not depart from me." Hence comes it, that his fheep never go back into perdition, Pfal. xxxvii. 24:

66

Though he fall, he fhall not utterly be caft down; for the Lord upholds him with his hand." Hence comes their recoveries after falls, becaufe this Shepherd gathers and brings back his ftraying fheep. See a fweet fcripture to this purpose, Ezek. xxxiv. 11, 12, 13. 16. 23. compared particularly with verfe 16. As this may be a fweet word to poor fleep, that have nothing, and fee they have nothing; no good, no grace, no faith, no love, no repentance, no good

qualifications of their own, nothing to recommend them to God, but their want and neceffity; and to the weak fheep, that finds he can do nothing, he cannot pray, cannot believe, cannot mourn, cannot communicate, and therefore fees an abfolute need of Christ to be their righteoufnefs and ftrength: fo it may be an awakening word to the fat and ftrong fheep; these that are fat and full in themfelves, and think they are increased with goods, and ftand in need of nothing; they have a good heart to God; they are not fo ill, they think, as fome perfons: and thofe that are ftrong, they think they can pray, and hear, and believe, and communicate well enough; what fhould hinder them? whereas the poor and weak will be fed with mercy; the fat and the ftrong, will be fed with judgment. Let the poor weak fheep, though fenfible of great ftrayings, yet conceive hope; this Shepherd feeks that which was loft, and brings again that which was driven away. Was you driven away with a cheek-wind; driven away by the devil; driven away from your Shepherd by temptation and powerful corruption? Why, yet he brings again that which was driven away.-Does a fhepherd defend his flock from troubles, and fuch as would make a prey of them? fo does Chrift; when grievous wolves, whether in church or ftate, would deftroy the poor fheep, whether in their perfons or principles; yet upon all the glory there fhall be a defence and no weapon formed against them fhall profper: for, "There is no inchantment against Jacob, nor divination against Ifrael."Does a fhepherd know all the fheep of his flock, by his own mark upon them? fo does Chrift; "The foun dation of God standeth fure, having this feal, the Lord knoweth them that are his." As his fheep hear and know his voice from the voice of a ftranger, fo he knows them, and calls his own fheep by name, John x. 3. But,

2. How does the Lord of hofts come to call him IS Shepherd? "Awake, O fword, against My Shepherd." Why, he is God the Father's Shepherd in feveral refpects; which I touch at only in a word.

(1.) He