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2. By his Spirit: and that both in the effusion of it upon his disciples, enabling them personally to preach the gospel unto the men of their own generation, and in the inspiration of some of them, enabling them to commit the truth unto writing for the instruction of the elect unto the end of the world. And herein doth the apostle, according unto his wonted manner, not only confirm what he had before delivered, but make way for what he had farther to instruct the Hebrews in; namely, the prophetical office of Christ, as he is the great revealer of the will of God and teacher of the church, which he professedly insists upon in the beginning of the next chapter.

In the second part of this first testimony is declared farther: 1. what Christ will moreover do; "He will sing praises unto God:" and 2. where he will do it; "in the midst of the congregation." The expression of both these is accommodated unto the declaration of God's name, and praising of him in the temple. The singing of hymns of praise unto God in the great congregation was then a principal part of his worship. And in the first expression two things are observable. 1. What Christ undertakes to do, and that is to praise God. Now this is only exegetical of what went before. He would praise God by declaring his name. There is no way whereby the praise of God may be celebrated, like that of declaring his grace, goodness and love unto men, whereby they may be won to believe and trust in him, whence glory redounds unto him. 2. The cheerfulness and alacrity of the Spirit of Christ in this work, he would do it as with joy and singing, with such a frame of heart as was required in them, who were to sing the praises of God in the great assemblies in the temple. 2. Where would he do this, p na, in the midst of the congregation; the great congregation as he calls it, ver. 25. that is, the great assembly of the people in the temple. And this was a type of the whole church of the elect under the New Testament. The Lord Christ in his own person, by his Spirit in his apostles, and his word, by all his messengers unto the end of the world, setting forth the love, grace, goodness and mercy of God in him the Mediator, sets forth the praise of God in the midst of the congregation. I shall only add, that whereas singing of hymns unto God, was an especial part of the instituted worship under the Old Testament, to whose use these expressions are accommodated, it is evident that the Lord Christ hath eminently set forth this praise of God in his institution of worship under the New Testament, wherein God will ever be glorified and praised. This was that which the Lord Christ engaged to do upon the issue of his sufferings, and we may propose it unto our example and instruction: namely,

V. That which was principally in the heart of Christ upon

his sufferings, was to declare and manifest the love, grace and good will of God unto men, that they might come to an acquaintance with him, and acceptance before him. There are two things in the Psalm, and the words, that manifest how much this was upon the heart of Christ. The most part of the Psalm containeth the great conflict that he had with his sufferings, and the displeasure of God against sin declared therein. He is no sooner delivered from thence, but instantly he engag eth in this work. As he lands upon the shore from that tempest wherein he was tossed in his passion, he cries out, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the congregation will I sing praise unto thee." And thus we find, that upon his resurrection he did not immediately ascend into glory, but first declared the name of God unto his apostles and disciples, and then took order that by them it should be declar ed and published to all the world. This was upon his spirit, and he entered not into his glorious rest until he had performed it. The words themselves also do evidence it, in that expression of celebrating God's name with hymns, with singing. It was a joy of heart unto him to be engaged in this work. Singing is the frame soul, James v. 13. of them that are in a glad, free, rejoicing condition. So was the Lord Christ in this work. He rejoiced of old with the very thoughts of this work, Prov. viii. 30, 31. Isa. Ixi. 1-3. And it was one of the glorious promises that were made unto him upon his undertaking the work of our salvation, that he should declare or preach the gospel, and the name of God therein, unto the conversion of Jews and Gentiles, Isa. xlix 1-10. He rejoiced therefore greatly to do it; and that,

First, Because herein consisted the manifestation and exaltation of the glory of God, which he principally in his whole work aimed at. He came to do the will, and thereby to set forth the glory of the Father. By and in him God designed to make his glory known; the glory of his love and grace in sending him; the glory of his justice and faithfulness in his sufferings; the glory of his mercy in the reconciliation and pardon of sinners; the glory of his wisdom in the whole mystery of his mediation; and the glory together of all his eternal excellencies in bringing his sons unto the everlasting enjoyment of him. Now nothing of all this could have been made known, unless the Lord Christ had taken upon him to preach the gospel and declare the name of God. Without this, whatever else he had done or suffered, had been lost as unto the interest of the glory of God. This then being that which he principally aimed at, this design must needs be greatly in his mind. He took care that so great glory, built on so great a foundation as his incarnation and mediation, should not be lost.

His other work was necessary, but this was a joy of heart and soul unto him.

Secondly, The salvation of the sons to be brought unto glory, with all their interest in the benefit of his sufferings, depended on this work of his. How much he sought that, his whole work declares. For their sakes it was, that he came down from heaven, and was made flesh, and dwelt amongst them; for their sakes did he undergo all the miseries that the world could cast upon him; for their sakes did he undergo the curse of the law, and wrestle with the displeasure and wrath of God against sin. And all this seemed as it were little unto him, for the love he bare them, as Jacob's hard service did to him for his love unto Rachel. Now after he had done all this for them, unless he had declared the name of God unto them in the gospel, they could have no benefit by it. For if they believe, not, they cannot be saved. And how should they believe without the word, and how or whence could they hear the word, unless it had been preached unto them. They could not of themselves have known any thing of that name of God, which is their life and salvation. Some men talk of I know not what declaration of God's name, nature and glory, by the works of nature and providence; bnt if the Lord Christ had not indeed revealed, declared and preached these things, these disputers themselves would not have been in any other condition than all mankind are who are left unto those teachers, which is most dark and miserable. The Lord Christ knew, that without his performance of this work, not one of the sons, the conduct of whom to glory he had undertaken, could ever have been brought unto the knowledge of the name of God, or unto faith in him, or obedience unto him, which made him earnestly and heartily engage in it.

Thirdly, Hereon depended his own glory also. His elect were to be gathered unto him; in, among and over them was his glorious kingdom to be erected. Without their conversion unto God, this could not be done. In the state of nature they also are children of wrath, and belong to the kingdom of Satan. And this declaration of the name of God, is the great way and means of their calling, conversion and translating from the power of Satan into his kingdom. The gospel is the rod of his strength, whereby his people are made willing in the day of his power. In brief, the gathering of his church, the setting up of his kingdom, the establishment of his throne, the setting of the crown upon his head, depend wholly on his declaring the name of God in the preaching of the gospel. Seeing therefore that the glory of God which he aimed at, the salvation of the sons which he sought for, and the honour of his kingdom which was promised unto him, do all depend on this work, it is no

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wonder, if his heart were full of it, and that he rejoiced to be engaged in it.

And this frame of heart ought to be in them, who under him are called to this work. The work itself we see is noble and excellent, such as the Lord Christ carried in his eye through all his sufferings, as that whereby they were to be rendered useful to the glory of God, and the souls of men. And by his rejoicing to be engaged in it, he hath set a pattern to them whom he calls to the same employment. Where men undertake it for filthy lucre, for selfish ends, and carnal respects, this is not to follow the example of Christ, not to serve him but their own bellies. Zeal for the glory of God, compassion for the souls of men, love to the honour and exaltation of Christ, ought to be the principles of men in this undertaking.

Moreover the Lord Christ by declaring that he will set forth the praise of God in the church, manifests what is the duty of the church itself, namely, to praise God for the work of his love and grace in our redemption by Christ Jesus. This he promiseth to go before them in; and what he leads them to, is by them to be persisted in. This is indeed the very end of gathering the church, and of all the duties that are performed therein and thereby. The church is called to the "glory of the grace of God," Eph. i. 6. that it may be set forth in them, and by them. This is the end of the institution of all ordinances of worship in the church, Eph. iii. 8-10. And in them do they set forth the praises of God to men and angels. This is the tendency of prayer, the work of faith, the fruit of obedience. It is a fond imagination which some have fallen on, that God is not praised in the church for the work of redemption, unless it be done by words and hymns particularly expressing it. All praying, all preaching, all administration of ordinances, all our faith, all our obedience, if ordered aright, are nothing but giving glory to God, for his love and grace in Christ Jesus, in a due and acceptable manner. And this is that which ought to be in our design in all our worship of God, especially in what we perform in the church. To "set forth his praise,' to "declare his name," to give glory to him by believing, and by the profession of our faith, is the end of all we do. And this is the first testimony produced by our apostle.

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His next is taken from Psal. xviii. 2. "I will put my trust in him." The whole Psalm literally respects David, with his straits and deliverances; not absolutely, but as he was a type of Christ. That he was so the Jews cannot deny, seeing the Messiah is promised on that account under the name of David. And the close of the Psalm treating of the calling of the Gentiles, as a fruit of his deliverance from sufferings, manifests him to be principally intended. And that which the apostle intends

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to prove by this testimony is, that he was really and truly of one with the sons to be brought to glory; and that he doth from hence, inasmuch as he was made and brought into that condition, wherein it was necessary for him to trust in God, and act in that dependance on him, which the nature of man whilst exposed to troubles doth indispensably require. Had he been only God, this could not have been spoken of him. Neither is the nature of angels exposed to such dangers and troubles, as to make it necessary for them to betake themselves to God's protection with respect thereunto. And this the word DП, used by the psalmist properly signifies, to betake a man's self' to the care and protection of another, as Psal. ii. ult. This then the condition of the Lord Christ required, and this he did perform in all troubles and difficulties, that he had contended withal," He put his trust in God," as Isa. 1. 8, 9. Psal. xxii. 19. And this evinceth him to have been truly and really of one with the children, his brethren; seeing it was his duty no less than it is theirs, to depend on God in troubles and distresses. And in vain doth Schlictingius hence endeavour to prove, that Christ was the Son of God by grace only, because he is said to depend on him, which if he had been God by nature he could not do. True, if he had been God only; but the apostle is now proving, that he was man also, like to us in all things sin only excepted. And as such his duty it was, in all straits, to betake himself by faith to the care and protection of God. And some things may hence also be briefly observed.

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1. That the Lord Christ, the Captain of our salvation, was exposed in the days of his flesh, to great difficulties, anxiety of mind, dangers and troubles.-This is included in what he here affirms about " putting his trust in God." And they were all typified out by the great sufferings of David before he came to his kingdom. In the consideration of the sufferings of Christ, men commonly fix their thoughts solely on his death. And indeed therein was a recapitulation of all that he had before undergone, with an addition of the wrath of God. But yet neither are the sufferings of his life to be disregarded. Such they were as made his whole pilgrimage on the earth dangerous and dolorous. There was on him a confluence of every thing that is evil or troublesome to human nature. And herein he is principally our example, at least so far, that we should think no kind of sufferings strange to us.

2. The Lord Christ in all his perplexities and troubles, betook himself to the protection of God, trusting in him.-See Isa. 1. 7, 8. And he always made an open profession of this trust, insomuch that his enemies reproached him with it in his greatest distress, Mat. xxvii. 43. But this was his course, this was

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