redemption, to his own wisdom and grace. Hence had they so many glorious descriptions of him to excite their desire and expectation concerning him. And now under the New Testament it is the greatest trial of faith, whether it be evangelical, genuine, and thriving, to know what respect it hath to the person of Christ: if that be its immediate and principal object, if it respect other things with regard to him, and in subordination to him, it is assuredly of an heavenly extract; if otherwise, it may justly be suspected. How glorious this object of faith! he, though the lofty One inhabiting eternity, humbled himself into the form of a man, of a servant, unto death, the death of the cross. A due mixture of greatness and grace, or goodness, is the most powerful attractive of virtuous and gracious affections. Hence God, who is infinitely great and infinitely good, is their ultimate object. In the person of Christ this is inimitably displayed, so that there is nothing in the vast creation adapted to represent him to us: see Rev. i, 5, 6, 11, 13, 16. He who is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the Prince of the kings of the earth, even he hath loved us, and washed us in his own blood! Hence to a believing soul he becomes white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand, Cant. v, 2.

2. Consider him as to his offices. His authority as a king, his mercifulness as our high priest, and his faithfulness as a prophet, or God's apostle, are the important particulars that call for our believing and affectionate consideration.

His authority as King, Lord, and Heir of all. His dealing with the Hebrews was principally about the institution of new ordinances of worship and abolishing the old. This sovereign authority the Lord Messiah was completely furnished with, and a due consid

eration hereof, would thoroughly remove all doubts and scruples in this matter; whereas the neglect of it is the cause of all that confusion and disorder which at this day fill the professing world about the worship of God.

His mercifulness, as the high priest of his church. This is of singular use to preserve believers from decays and faintings in the profession of the truth. Want of a due improvement of this encouraging consideration, and the assistance that may be obtained thereby, is the occasion of all the decays and backslidings that are found among professors. What can thrive in the soul, if the love, care, kindness, and ability to save, that are in Christ, all which are included in this mercifulness, are neglected? His faithfulness; this relates to his prophetical office; if he be absolutely faithful in his work, his authority and mercy ought surely to be diligently heeded. Men may thence learn what they have to do in the church and worship of God, even to observe and to do whatever he hath commanded.

3. As his person and offices, so his work also is proposed to our consideration. The particulars of this work are too many to be here so much as recounted; in general the love and grace that beam in it, its greatness, the benefits we receive from it, the glory of the wisdom, goodness, holiness, and righteousness that shine therein with superior lustre, are the principal immediate objects of our faith and consideration. And although we may not at once clearly and fully discern them, yet we are in the proper way to know and possess them. There is not the least line of truth, how far soever it may be extended, and how small soever it may at length appear, but the springs of it lie in the person and work of Christ; and then we learn it aright when we learn it in the spring; or, "as it is in him,"

Eph. iv, 21; which when we have done, we may safely trace it to its utmost extent. But he that looks on gospel truths as scattered up and down independently one of another, who sees not the root and centre of them in Jesus Christ, it is most probable that when he goes about to gather them for his use, he will also take up things quite of another nature. They say that all moral virtues are knit in one, that is, righteousness, so that he who hath that, hath all the rest, at least radically and virtually. This I know, that all spiritual truths are centered in him who is the truth. And they who have "learned him," as the apostle speaks, Eph. iv, 20, have with him received the seeds of the truth, which being watered and attended as they ought, will in due time flourish in all their proper branches and fruits. Thus in particular is faith increased. For according as the object of it is cleared and manifested, or truly represented as suitable and desirable to the soul, so is faith excited and strengthened. Now this is no otherwise done, but when the soul is enabled graciously to consider the person and offices of Christ. There it finds all that is needful to make it happy and blessed, to procure pardon and peace, righteousness and glory. Hence,

$23. We may deduce some profitable uses for information, caution, and direction.

1. For information; we may see hence the reason why so many turn aside and fall off from the truth and ways of the gospel. They have given over a due consideration of Jesus Christ, and so have lost the means of their preservation. They have been weary of him, not seeing a form or loveliness in him for which he should be desired. For when men have neglected the person of Christ, is it any wonder if they despise his ways and ordinances, as is their manner?

Indeed the ordinances of the gospel, its worship and institutions, have no excellency, no beauty in them, but what ariseth from their relation to the person and offices of Christ; and if these are neglected, these must needs be burdensome and grievous. And as it is with gospel worship, so it is with all the articles of faith, or the important truths we are to believe. The centre and knot of them all is in the person of Christ, if they are once loosed from thence, if their union in him be once dissolved, if men no more endeavor to learn the truth as it is in Jesus, or to acquaint themselves with the will of God, as he hath gathered all things unto an head in him, they scatter, as it were, of their own accord from their minds; so that it may be they retain no one of them; or if they do, yet not in a right manner, so as to have the experience of the power of them in obedience. This is the cause of the apostasies amongst us; Christ is neglected, not considered, not improved: if we search into the root of our distempers, we shall find that our hearts and spirits have not been exercised with that consideration of the person and offices of Christ which our duty calls for. We have not been kept in a constant adoration of his majesty, admiration of his excellency, delight in his beauty, joy in his undertaking, holy thoughtfulness of his whole mediation: this has betrayed us into lukewarmness and indifferency, and made us faint and weary in his ways. The next use is,

2. For caution. The world smiles upon apostates and promiseth a plentiful supply of such things as corrupt nature esteems desirable; errors and false worship spread their wings of glorious pretences over the whole world. Trials, troubles, storms, persecutions attend and threaten on every hand; and he only that endureth unto the end shall be saved. He that like Jonah

is asleep in this tempest, is at the door of ruin; he that is secure in himself from danger, is in the greatest danger of falling by security. What then shall we do, what means shall we use for our preservation? Take the counsel of our blessed apostle. "Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of ur profession." And again, chap. xii, 3, "Consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds." Be much, therefore, in the consideration of the person, offices, and work of Christ. This will conform you unto him, this will derive strength from him, will arm you with the same mind that was in him, increase all your graces, keep you from being faint, and give you assured victory. He deserves it, you need it, let it not be omitted. Another use is,

3. For direction. This will give direction to them who are called to the work of teaching others. For that which is the chief object of the church's faith, ought to be the chief subject of our preaching. So Paul tells the Galatians, that in his preaching Christ was evidently crucified before their eyes, Gal. iii, 1. He proposed Christ crucified to their consideration, determining, as he speaks in another place, to know nothing amongst them but Jesus Christ and him erucified. For if the consideration of Christ be such an important duty in believers, certainly the due proposal of him to their consideration is no less in preachers; Christ alone is to be preached absolutely, and all other truths, as they begin, end, and centre in him. To propose the Lord Christ amiable, desirable, useful, and every way worthy of acceptation is the great duty of the dispensers of the gospel.