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SERMON II.

Hebr. II. 16, and part of the
17 verfe.

For verily He took not on Him the Nature of Angels, but He took on Him the Seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behov'd him to be made like unto his Brethren.

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HE Incarnation of Our Blessed Saviour is set forth in the words that I have juft now read unto you, fo clearly as to the Evidence of it, and fo advantageously, both as to the goodness of Willing it, and the Wisdom of Contriving it, that I could not pitch on

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any

any more fit for the Subject of your Meditations at this Season, fet apart by the Piety of the Church for the Solemn and Devout Commemoration of this great Mystery of Godliness God manifefted in the Flefb. For in these words

I. The Incarnation of the Son of God is fet forth Moft Clearly as to the Evidence of it, we in them being plainly taught and beyond all Exception convinc'd of the Truth of the Catholick Faith in this important Article; the firft Member of the Text being an invincible proof of the Divinity, as the fecond is of the Humanity of Our Bleffed Lord.

ift. We have here an undeniable Argument of the Eternal Divinity of Chrift before his appearing in the Flefh. For He in whose free choice it was to take upon him either of the two Natures, that of Angels or that of Men, muft of Neceffity have been a perfon Exifting before he made that choice, and alfo of a different Nature from either of those two Natures, One of which he was pleas'd in time to affume into his Own; and therefore not a meer Man of no Elder Being than from his Birth of the Bleffed Virgin, as moft impiously the Socinians, nor even One of the Highest Rank of Angels, before this Vifible World's Creation,

yet

yet a Creature, as the Arians, tho' with more feeming Honour to our Saviour's Perfon, yet with Equal repugnancy to his Word and Doctrine affirm.

2dly. We have here likewife as clear a Proof of Chrift's Real Humanity. This being also a Material part of our Faith, and as Neceffary to be believ'd as his Effential Divinity. And what can more plainly be taught? how can a Doctrine in more exprefs Words be laid down than this is here, where we are told that he took upon Him the Seed of Abraham, and was in all things made like unto his Brethren?

II. Again, fecondly. The fame Wonderfull Mystery is here fet forth moft Advantageously, and that

ft. As to the Exceeding Grace and Goodness of it to Mankind, in that after the Fall both of Angels and Men, He left the One Unpity'd, Unregarded in the Wretched State which by their Apoftacy and Rebellion they had juftly brought themselves into, referv'd in Everlafting Chains under darknefs unto the Fudgement of the great Day, Jude 6. and yet out of infinite Compaffion to the Other, laid hold of them as foon as ever they fell, and immediately after the Act of their Rebellion, for which they as juftly ought to have had their Portion for ever with

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the Devil and his Angels, gave a Promise of that, which in the fulness of time he perform'd, when by making himself One of Them, he advanc'd them to a more glorious State than that from which they fell, made them Heirs of Everlafting Light and Endlefs Felicity.

2dly. As to the Wonderfull Wisdom in contriving this means of Salvation: in order to which it behov'd Him to be made like to his Brethren. This Method, which God has been pleas'd to make ufe of to bring about the Redemption of Mankind, was of all Others the moft Wife and the moft Fitting for fo Divine a Purpose. God fent his Son to be made Man, that he might be a Randfom for Man, a Price indeed infinitely above the value of the Purchase, and a means immeasurably beyond the End, yet not unfitly, nor unglorioufly: not ungloriously, because the Salvation of Man and the whole Oeconomy and Ordering of it tends laftly to the Glory of God; nor unfitly, because of the fingular Ufe and infinite Benefits of this Method above all Others to the Sons of Men, for both which Reasons, In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren.

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