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little is the depth of that which is spoken fathomed? how unable are we to look into the mysterious recesses of it? He so loves, so values his saints, as that having from eternity undertaken to bring them to God, he rejoices his soul in the thoughts of it; and pursues his design through heaven and hell, life and death, by suffering and doing, in misery and with power, and ceaseth not until he bring it to perfection. For,

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(2.) He doth so value them, as that he will not lose any of them to eternity, though all the world should combine to take them out of his hand. When in the days of his flesh he foresaw what opposition, what danger, what rocks, they should meet withal, he cried out Holy Father keep them,' John xvii. 11. let not one of them be lost; and tells us plainly, John x. 28. that no man shall take his sheep out of his hand.' And because he was then in the form of a servant, and it might be supposed that he might not be able to hold them, he tells them true, as to his present condition of carrying on the work of mediation, his Father was greater than he," and therefore to him he co mmitted them, and none should take them out of his Father's hands; John x. 29. and whereas the world, afflictions, and persecutions, which are without, may be conquered, and yet no security given, but that sin from within, by the assistance of Satan may prevail against them to their ruin; as he hath provided. against Satan in his promise, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them, so he hath taken care that sin itself shall not destroy them. Herein indeed is the depth of his love to be contemplated, that whereas his holy soul hates every sin, it is a burden, an abomination, a new wound to him, and his poor spouse is sinful, believers are full of sins, failings, and infirmities, he hides all, covers all, bears with all, rather than he will lose them; by his power preserving them from such sins as a remedy is not provided for in the covenant of grace. Oh the world of sinful follies, that our dear Lord Jesus bears withal on this account! are not our own souls astonished with the thoughts of it? Infinite patience, infinite forbearance, infinite love, infinite grace, infinite mercy, are all set on work for this end, to answer this his valuation of us.

e John xiv. 28.

2. On our part it may also be referred to two heads. (1.) That upon the discovery of him to our souls, they rejoice to part with all things wherein they have delighted, or reposed their confidence for him and his sake, that they may enjoy him. Sin and lust, pleasure and profit, righteousness and duty, in their several conditions, all shall go so they may have Christ.

(2.) That they are willing to part with all things rather than with him, when they do enjoy him. To think of parting with peace, health, liberty, relations, wives, children, it is offensive, heavy, and grievous to the best of the saints. But their souls cannot bear the thoughts of parting with Jesus Christ; such a thought is cruel as the grave. The worst thoughts that in any fear 1 in desertions that they have ofi hell, is that they shall not enjoy Jesus Christ. So they may enjoy him, here, hereafter, be like him, be ever with him, stand in his presence, they can part with all things freely, cheerfully, be they never so beautiful in reference to this life, or that which is to come.

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3. The third conjugal affection on the part of Christ is pity and compassion. As a man nourisheth and cherisheth his own flesh, so doth the Lord his church;' Eph. v. 29. Christ hath a fellow-feeling with his saints in all their troubles as a man hath with his own flesh. This act of the conjugal love of Christ, relates to the many trials and pressures of afflictions that his saints meet withal here below. doth not deal with believers as the Samaritans with the Jews, that fawned on them in their prosperity, but despised them in their trouble; he is as a tender1 Father, who though perhaps he love all his children alike, yet he will take most pains with, and give most of his presence unto, one that is sick and weak, though therein and thereby, he may be made most forward, and as it should seem hardest to be borne with. And, which is more than the pity of any father can extend to, he himself suffers with them, and takes share in all their troubles.

Now all the sufferings of the saints in this world, wherein

f Matt. xiii. 45, 46. Phil. iii. 8. h Cant. viii. 6.

g Matt. x. 37.

i Kai TOUTO μοι τῶν ἐν ἅδου κολάσεων βαρύτερον ἂν εἴη. Basil. k Fateor insitam nobis esse corporis nostri charitatem. Senec. Epist. 14.--Generi animantium omni a natura tributum ut se vitam corpusque tueatur.

Cicer.

Off. 1.

Psal. ciii. 13.

their head and husband exerciseth pity, tenderness, care, and compassion towards them are of two sorts, or may be referred to two heads.

(1.) Temptations.
(2.) Afflictions.

(1.) Temptations (under which head, I comprise sin also, whereto they tend); as in, from, and by their own infirmities, as also from their adversaries without. The frame of the heart of Christ, and his deportment towards them in this condition you have, Heb. iv. 15. 'We have not an highpriest which cannot be touched with our infirmities.' We have not such a one, as cannot. The two negations do vehemently affirm that we have such an high-priest as can be, or is touched; the word, 'touched,' comes exceedingly short of expressing the original word; it is 'ovμπañoaι to 'suffer together.' We have, saith the apostle, such an highpriest as can, and consequently doth suffer with us, endure our infirmities; and in what respect he suffers with us, in regard of our infirmities, or hath a fellow-feeling with us in them, he declares in the next words, for he was 'tempted like unto us;' ver. 16. it is as our "infirmities, our temptations, spiritual weakness; therein, in particular hath he a compassionate sympathy and fellow-feeling with us. Whatever be our infirmities, so far as they are our temptations, he doth suffer with us under them, and compassionates us. Hence at the last day he saith 'I was hungry' &c. There are two ways of expressing a fellow-feeling and suffering with another.

n

[1.] Per benevolam condolentiam; a friendly grieving.' [2.] Per gratiosam opitulationem; a 'gracious supply:' both are eminent in Christ.

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[1.] He grieves and labours with us; Zech. i. 12. The angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem. He speaks

1 Hoc quidem certum est, hoc vocabulo, summum illum consensum membrorum et capitis, significari, de quo toties Paulus disserit. Deinde ut cum de Deo loquitur, ita, etiam de Christo glorioso disserens seriptura, ad nostrum captum se demittit. Gloriosum autem ad dextram patris Christum sedere credimus; ubi dicitur nostris malis affici, quod sibi facturum ducat quicquid nobis sit injuriæ; altiores speculationes scrutari, nec utile nec tutum existimo. Bez. in loc.

m Rom. viii. 26. 1 Cor. xi. 32. 2 Cor. xi. 30. xii. 9, 10. Gal. iv. 13.
• Acts ix. 4. Isa. lxiii. 9.

n Matt. xxv. 34.

as one intimately affected with the state and condition of poor Jerusalem, and therefore he hath bid all the world take notice, that what is done to them is done to him; chap. ii. 8, 9. yea, to the Papple of his eye.

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[2.] In the second he abounds; Isa. xl. 11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead them that are with young.' Yea, we have both here together, tender compassionateness and assistance. The whole frame wherein he is here described, is a frame of the greatest tenderness, compassion, condescension that can be imagined. His people are set forth under many infirmities; some are lambs, some great with young, some very tender, some burdened with temptations, nothing in any of them all strong or comely. To them all, Christ is a shepherd, that feeds his own sheep, and drives them out to pleasant pasture; where if he sees a poor weak lamb, doth not thrust it on, but takes him into his bosom, where he both easeth and refresheth him; he leads him gently and tenderly. As did Jacob them that were burdened with young, so doth our dear Lord Jesus with his flock in the several ways and paths wherein he leads them. When he sees a poor soul weak, tender, halting, ready to sink and perish, he takes him into his arms by some gracious promise administered to him, carries him, bears him up when he is not able to go one step forward. Hence is his great quarrel with those shepherds, Ezek. xxxiv. 4. 'Woe be to you shepherds, the diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost.' This is that which our careful, tender husband would have done.

So mention being made of his compassionateness and fellow-suffering with us, Heb. iv. 15. it is added, ver. 16.

P Deut. xxxii. 10. Psal. xvii. 8.

4 En ipse capellas protinus æger ago; hanc etiam vix Tytire duco, &c.-Virg. r Quod frequenter in scriptura. Pastoris nomen Deus usurpat, personamque induit, non vulgare est teneri in nos amoris signum; nam quum humilis et abjecta sit loquendi forma, singulariter erga nos affectus sit opportet, qui se nostri causa ita demittere non gravatur: mirum itaque nisi tam blanda et familiaris imitatio ad eum nos alliciat-Čalvin in Psal. xxiii. 1.

s Heb. xiii. 20. 1 Pet. ii. 25. v. 4. Psal. xxiii. 1. Zech. xiii. 7. Isa. xliv. 18. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. John x. 11, 12. 16. t Gen. xxxiii. 13.

that he administers, χάριν εἰς εὔκαιρον βοήθειαν, seasonable grace, grace for help in a time of need. This is an evidence of compassion, when like the Samaritan, we afford seasonable help; to lament our troubles, or miseries without affording help, is to no purpose. Now this Christ doth, he gives EVKαιρov Bondειav seasonable help. Help being a thing that regards want, is always excellent; but its coming in season, puts a crown upon it. A pardon to a malefactor when he is ready to be executed, is sweet and welcome. Such is the assistance given by Christ; all his saints may take this as a sure rule, both in their temptations and afflictions; when they can want them, they shall not want relief; and when they can bear no longer, they shall be relieved; 1 Cor. x. 13.

So it is said emphatically of him, Heb. ii. 13. 'In that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.' It is true, there is something in all our temptations more than was in the temptation of Christ. There is something in ourselves to take part with every temptation; and there is enough in ourselves to "tempt us, though nothing else should appear against us. With Christ it was not so; John xiv. 30. but this is so far from taking off his compassion towards us, that on all accounts whatever it doth increase it; for if he will give us succour because we are tempted, the sorer our temptations are, the more ready will he be to succour us. Take some instances of Christ's giving tйkaipov Bondɛav, seasonable help in and under temptations unto sin: now this he doth several ways.

[1.] By keeping the soul which is liable to temptation and exposed to it, in a strong habitual bent against that sin that he is obnoxious to the assaults of. So it was in the case of Joseph; Christ knew that Joseph's great trial, and that whereon if he had been conquered he had been undone, would lie upon the hand of his mistress tempting him to lewdness; whereupon he kept his heart in a steady frame against that sin, as his answer without the least deliberation argues; Gen. xxxix. 9. In other things wherein he was not so deeply concerned, Joseph's heart was not so fortified by habitual grace; as it appears by his swearing by the life of Pharaoh. This is one way whereby Christ gives

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