them, see 1 Pet. 1. 3. 4. And in the second place, that God hath made this Iesus whom he hath raised from the dead, both Lord and Christ, see it also confirmed Acts the 2d, the 36. 10. 36. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Acts 18. 5.

[This Iesus I say is the Christ, in English, the Anointed One, hath a name above every name] that he is not onely said to be a Christ and an Anointed one, which, although it be a name of eminency among men, yet may there be found many, both before the time of Reformation, and since, upon whom this worthy name of Christ, or Anointed one may be worthily called, as were those names of eminency among the Israel of old, as King, Priest, and Prophet, and such as being washed in the blood of the Lamb are also Anointed, and made Kings and Priests unto God, and Prophets to men compare the 2 Cor. 1. 21. 1 Io. 2. 27. with Rev. 5. 10. 19. 10. I say he is not onely a Christ, but that he might appear in this eminent name to have the preheminence, he is called the Christ, see Mark 8. 29. Io. 11. 27. 6. 69. 20. 31. which in English is the Anointed one, as will appear, 1 Io. 41. We have found, saith Andrew to Simon, the Messias, being the Hebrew word, which being interpreted into the Greek Language, is ỏ xpisós, or the Christ but rendered in English as in the margent, is the Anointed, and hence he is called in the 9 Luk. 20. the Christ of God, or in more plain English, the Anointed of God, suitable to this are such expressions of the spirit of God, in the Scriptures of truth, as these; Him hath God Anointed, and that with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes, see Acts 4. 27. 10. 38. 1 Heb. 9. And that he hath a name above every name doth evidently appear; for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell, yea, all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily, that in all things, or as it is in the Margent, among all, he might have the preeminence, see Coll. 1. 18, 19. 2. 9. so Phi. 2. 9. Wherefore (saith the Apostle) God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, he hath a name above the Anointed, Kings, Priests, and Prophets of old, they being but types and shadowes of him, and yet were the highest names in Israel, which was a Family that had a name above all the Families of the Earth; and so a name above all the names on

the Earth and yet this is not all, for he hath a name above all Principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not in this world only, but also in that which is to come, Ephe. 1. 20, 21, 22. Phi. 2. 10, 11.

[He is the Anointed Priest; none to, or with him in point of atonement] That he is the Anointed Priest, compare Heb. 3. 1. with 1. 9. and there shall we see the Spirit of God, calling him an High-Priest, who was of God anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellowes, which cannot but be understood of his fellow-Priests, either such as were ordained of old, before the time of Reformation, and so were types, or shadowes of him, or else of such as were since by him made Priests unto God, and so received of the fulness of that his oyntment: Now that there is none to him in point of attonement, will easily be made manifest, if these three things be considered: 1 The nature of the attonement it self. 2 The weaknesse or insufficiency of all other Priests, whether ordained, or made to perform such a work. And lastly, the sufficiency of this High Priest to make a perfect attonement for all those that come to God through him.

Touching the nature of the attonement, it is not amisse to consider, that what was by this word attonement exprest under the first Testament, while that Priesthood stood, hath been since under the administration of the last Testament, that is established upon better promises than that, been exprest more frequently by the word Reconciliation, and therefore the word that in the 5 Rom. 11. is rendered attonement, is in 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19. and in all other places translated by the word Reconciliation; Now Reconciliation does pre-suppose an estrangenesse, or enmity rather, between two parties, and if the parties were men, peradventure there might be found a man to mediate; but the enmity lies not so much between man and man, or between men and Angels, good or bad, but between God and man, the Creator and the creature, and who is he in Heaven, or in Earth, that dare interpose, or step in to make a reconciliation between these two? yea, who can effect it? especially if we consider that the enmity on the creatures part is rooted in his mind, and cannot be erad

icated (I had almost sayd, and yet I think I shall not need to retract it) by the powerfull hand of God himselfe stretcht forth in his wrath, his mind still remaining, as indeed doth notably appear out of the mouth of the Lord himself, by the hand of his Prophet Isay. 57. 16, 17. For the iniquity of his covetousnesse, was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wrath, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. So see it confirmed also in Rev. 16. 9. 11. 21. When the wroth of God breaks forth with an exceeding great Plague, then shall you find men blaspheming the name of God, who hath power over those Plagues, because of their paines and their sores, and repented not of their evill deeds, to give him glory; and if the wrath of God does it not, how unlike is the wrath of man to effect it? But further to shew the greatnesse of the work of Reconciliation as it lies on mans part; for as he hath not an alienation only, but an enmity in his mind, so is he apt upon all occasions to the utmost of his power to manifest the same, by wicked provoking workes against the God of Heaven, so that let but God himself be manifested in the flesh, or any bright beam of his glory break forth, and shine through mortall flesh, presently shall the Iewes, and Gentiles, though otherwise full of enmity one against an other, concurre; yea, Herod and Pilate shall now be made friends, and shall agree to Crucifie the Lord of Life and Glory; to pour forth the pretious Blood of God, and to tread under foot the Sonne of God, and to count the blood of that Covenant as an unholy thing: So that from hence we may conclude, That as he that hateth his Brother in his heart may be said to murther a man, so he that hateth God in his heart, may be said in a sense to murder God. Now as on mans part there appears such enmity in his mind, such an aptnesse to vent it, and such backwardnesse (as I might shew) in him to accept of any, but especially the Gospell termes of Reconciliation, whereby the work appears to be great; So if we consider it on Gods part, that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all ungodlinesse, and against all unrighteousnesse of the Sonnes of Men, and that his word is gone forth and cannot be recalled; In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely dye; and the Soul that sinneth, it shall 4TH S.

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dye; and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them, so that his Wrath, Iustice, and Truth are all engaged in this main controversie that he hath with his creature, and by reason thereof, he will not be pleased with thousands of Rams, nor yet with ten thousand Rivers of Oyl, &c. And therefore if the question be asked who is worthy, or who is able to stand between God and Man, to make the attonement, to slay the enmity, and so to make peace? The answer will be the same, That no man (that is meerly so, no nor Angel) in Heaven, nor in Earth nor under the Earth, is either worthy, or able to undertake this great work, no nor in that sense to look thereon; And therefore in the second place all other Priests will be found insufficient; for as for the Priests of old, and all that belonged to them, as Vestures, Vessels, Altars, Temple; and all that was officiated by them, as their Sacrifices, Attonements, Oblations, blessings, they were too weak to accomplish this work, for they were not able to make him perfect that did the service, as appertaining to the Conscience, but brought their sins to remembrance, instead of blotting them out, so as to remember them no more, and were indeed but meer shadowes of good things to come, which they that beleeved had in their eye, and saw afarre off, see Heb. 7. 18, 19. 9. 9. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, 11. and as for others that are made Priests unto God, they doe but receive of his fulnesse, and will readily acknowledge with Paul, that through the Law they are dead to the Law, so as by their own works or righteousnesse (which now appears to be but glistering wickednesse, and no other than fruits of that enmity that was in their minds, by them I say) not to expect to make their own peace with God; and although it is true they have liberty to enter into the holiest, yet it is by the blood of Iesus, and by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for them; and although they may draw neer unto the holy God with a true heart, and full assurance of Faith, yet they must have their hearts sprinkled with his blood from an evill conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water; and although being in the holy presence of God, they may, as the Priests of old, offer up prayers with strong cryes for themselves, and others, yet must they be offered upon

the golden Altar that is before the Throne, and must be mingled, and perfumed with much sweet incense out of the golden censer that is in the Angell of the Covenants hand, and the smoke of the incense must ascend with their prayers before God out of the Angels hand: Rev. 8. 3, 4 so that in this point they are nothing, yea lesse, and worse than nothing; but Christ is the very power of God in this point, the substance of all shadowes, and what he did in reference to the work of attonement, and reconciliation, he doth it substantially and effectually, both on Gods part and mans; for he hath both natures in himself, and by reason thereof is an apt Mediator fit to interpose between both to make reconciliation; for he is declared to be the Son of God, wholly without sin, consecrated with an oath of God to be a Priest for that purpose for ever, Heb. 7. 21. comp. with 27. 28. who by the eternall spirit of God offered up himself without fault to God his Father, the just for the unjust, so that by one offering, he hath consecrated for ever them that are sanctified, so that there is no more need of offering for sin, see Heb. 9. 4. comp. with 10. 14. 18. and is now entred, not into the Holy places made with hands, but into Heaven, to appear in the sight of God for those that beleeve through him, and not with the blood of others, but with his own blood, whereby their consciences are purged from dead works to serve the true and the living God, see Heb. 9. 26. 14. yea, and there remaineth, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the highest,' being the mediator of that better covenant, even that which is established upon the best, and absolute free promises, which are to pardon their enmity, and iniquity, and to remember their sin no more, to write his Lawes in their hearts, and to be to them a God, and to undertake that they shall be to him a people; so that as God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; 2 so in the ministry of reconciliation Christ is by his Spirit in man shedding abroad the love of God in his heart, and thereby slaying his enmity, by which means he is reconciled to God; so that whom he blesseth, being the High 2 Heb. 8. 6. 10, 11, 12.

1 Heb. 1. 3. 8.1.