"And

same words that is used for the wife, Gen. iii. 16. thy desire shall be towards thine husband?" Why so? not because Christ shall be subject to the will of the saints, as the will of the wife is to be subject to the will of the husband; but because (the word nрwn, coming from the root pp, signifying to run up and down, to and fro, with solicitude and carefulness) as the wife doth run up and down, looking to, and caring for her sick husband, being afflicted with him in all his afflictions. So Christ doth carefully tender, and is solicitous for the saints' good, his heart as it were, running up and down for them, and being afflicted with them in all their afflictions, she saith here, and his desire, or his running up and down affection, is towards me. Now what greater argument of delight, and contentment can there be?

Is it not an high expression of his delight and satisfaction in them, to spend and lay out his time and eternity for them, and on them? Thus it is, before he came into the world, he saith, Prov. viii. 31., "I was by him, rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my delights were with the sons of men." When he came into the world, he came to, and for them, Isa. ix. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given:" while he lived here, he lived for them, "Behold thy King comes to thee, meekly riding on an ass:" when he died, he died for them; the just for the unjust; he died for our sins and when he rose again, he rose for them; who died for our sins, saith the apostle, "and rose again for our justification: when he went to heaven, he went for them; "I go to prepare a place for you" (saith he, John xiv.); when he ascended, he did ascend for them, that he might give gifts unto men; and when he appeared before the Father, he did appear for them, Heb. ix. 24. and now he continues in heaven for them; "Seeing he ever liveth (saith the apostle) to make intercession for us," Heb. vii; there he negotiates for them still, and doth transact all their business; why should not we negotiate for him on earth, who doth negotiate for us in heaven? why should not we spend of all our time for him, who hath, and doth spend of the days of his eternity for us? But if Christ do thus spend, and lay out himself, and day, and time, and eternity for his seed; then surely he doth, and must needs take much contentment and satisfaction in them.

Is it not a great argument of his delight and satisfaction in his seed, that he will not suffer a cold wind to blow upon them to hurt them? When a mother is so tender of her child that she will not suffer a cold wind to blow upon it, you say, See how she loves and delights in that child. Now Christ hath said concerning his people: "He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye," Zech. ii. The eye of man is the most tender part, you know, and men are the most tender of that: but I pray observe what kind of men they were that Christ was thus tender of: in Deut. xxxii. 10., it is said that God kept the people of Israel in the wilderness, "as the apple of his eye." There they were in a low and sad condition, yet there was the love of their youth expressed in following God; but now these men were in Babylon, and they were that part of the people of the Jews which did stay behind, when others were gone to rebuild the temple; and through unbelief did this part stay behind; therefore saith the prophet, verse 6. " Come forth, and flee from the land of the north;" yet concerning these, even these rebellious and unbelieving residue, doth the Lord say, "He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye," verse 8. Surely then, if Christ had such tender care of these, in reference to all that might touch or hurt them, I may truly say in regard of his seed, he will not suffer a cold wind for to blow upon them: herein is his delight, and love manifested.

The neglect of himself (whilst he lived) in reference unto their good and salvation, speaks thus much also. If a child be fallen into the fire or water, the mother lays by all other business to pull it out, she lays by her very meat, and drink, and dressing; forgets and neglects herself, till she have obtained the safety of her child, and this argues her delight in it. So it was with Christ in the days of his flesh, he forgat and neglected himself altogether, till he had settled the great business of man's salvation; I have meat to eat that ye know not of, saith he he had not whereon to lay his head, and did not mind himself, but was restless till he had set all things in safety, in reference to the salvation of his seed; why? but because of that great d'elight and satisfaction which he took in his work, and their good.

And when he went away, and could no longer stay here on

earth, he left his seed a blessed token of love, which he would have them wear in their bosoms till he come again, I mean the Lord's supper. "Do this as oft as ye do it (saith he) in remembrance of me." When a man goes from a place, and doth leave his friends, he bestows some token of love upon his best friends; or if he die, he gives his choice and beloved friend a token of remembrance; he doth not so by those whom he loves not, but by such as he loves much, and delights in. Thus did our Saviour Christ, when he went away, and died, he left a crucifix, as I may so call it, this ordinance of the supper, to be worn in the bosom of all the churches, as a memorial, or remembrance of him. The Socinians, who are enemies to the cross of Christ, tell us that the word avavnois, remembrance, should rather be translated, celebration; do this in the celebration of me, and that the word doth signify celebration, and not remembrance: but if ye look into Heb. x. 3., ye shall find it is said, "But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sin every year:" it is the same word that is used for the Lord's supper, and should it be translated a celebration there; should the words be read thus; but in these sacrifices, there is a celebration of sin every year? surely no: well then is the word translated in the institution of the Lord's supper, do this in remembrance of me, and in that Christ hath left such a remembrance for his seed; what doth this argue, but that they should delight in him, as he doth delight in them?

And is it not a very great, and high expression of his love, and delight in them, that he carried all their names upon his heart, into the presence of God the Father, owning and interceding for them? When the high priest went into the holy of holies, he carried the names of the twelve tribes upon his breast-plate, and with the blood of the sacrifice he sprinkled the mercy seat seven times, and prayed for them. So when our great High Priest went into heaven, he did

* Ex istis Pauli verbis apparet graviter errasse illos qui existimarunt, verbum (ut Vulgata et Erasmi interpretatio habet) commemorationem, quod in Græco est avaμvnoiy mutari debere in recordationem, neque enim dicit Paulus mortem Domini recordamini, &c. Non est igitur quod quis ex verbo illo colligat cænam Domini in eum finem institutum fuisse ut nobis suggerat et in memoriam revocet mortem ipsius Domini, id quod nulla alioqui sacrarum litterarum authoritate, nullave ratione probari potest.-Faust. Socinus de usu et fine cænæ Domini.

carry the names of all those whom he died for, sprinkling the mercy seat seven times for them, and doth yet pray, and intercede for such of them, as are not in heaven; and as if all this were not enough, he did presently send the Comforter, another advocate to intercede within them, Rom. viii. that as he took their flesh upon him, and was made one with them, so they should take of his Spirit, and be made one with him. Now can this and all these things be, without great contentment, and delight in them? Surely, the delight and satisfaction which Christ takes in his seed, is exceeding great and very full. In Prov. viii. he saith, his delights, in the plural number, are in them; and in Psalm. xvi. he saith, all "his delights is in them."

But why, and upon what account doth our Lord and Saviour Christ, take such delight and satisfaction in his seed?

He hath travailed for them, saith this doctrine, and will ye ask, why a woman takes so much delight in the child, which she hath had a sore travail for? without doubt, this delight is not raised from any worth in themselves considered. But,

They are his own, and men do naturally delight in their own. Now they are not his own only as a man's goods are his own, but they are his own, as his wife is his own, and his own body.*

They are given him of the Father: a man loves, and delights much in that which is given him by a most precious friend: such is the Father: and saith Christ, "Thine they were and thou gavest them to me.”

They are related to him, with all the relations of love; they are his brethren, "He is not ashamed to call them brethren," Heb. ii. They are his children, " Behold I, and the children whom God hath given me," saith he, Heb. ii. They are his spouse, Ephes. 5. A man loves, and delights in him that is related to him, but with one single relation; but if one person could be invested with all relations of love, he would be much delighted in.† Thus it is with the seed of Christ, when they believe (for so I speak of them now) they are related to him with all the relations of love; "If any man (saith Christ) hear my words, and do them, he is my mother, and brother, and sister."

* Proprietas delectationis causa.

+ Unumquodque in quantu amatur efficitur delectabile.—Aquin.

Yea, they are one with him, he with them, and they with him; one with the greatest oneness, of mutual in-being; "I in you, and you in me," saith Christ.

And they are very like him too, and suitable to him; all delight arises from a conjunction of suitables.* Christ and his believing seed are not only joined into one, but in this union there is a conjunction of suitables, Christ suiting with them, and they with him again, being of the same mind and affection. Doth Christ say unto his spouse, Cant. iv. 10. "Thy love is better than wine?" so doth the spouse say to him, Cant. i. 2: "Thy love is better than wine." Doth he say to his spouse, "Thou art all fair, my love, there there is no spot in thee?" Cant. iv. 7, so doth she say of him, "He is altogether lovely," Cant v. 16. Doth he contemplate her beauty? Cant. iv.; so doth she contem plate his beauty, Cant. v. Only herein he doth exceed, even as David exceeded Jonathan; yet there is an answerableness of affection between Christ and his seed.

By them also, I mean his believing seed, he liveth, and his name is continued and borne up in the world unto all generations; "He shall prolong his days," saith Isaiah liii. 10. But how so? "He shall see his seed and so shall prolong his days: His name shall continue for ever," saith Ps. lxxii. 17. But how so? Even by the continual filiation of his seed and name. Now if he do yet live in them, and they only do bear up his name in the world; then no wonder that our Lord and Saviour Christ, doth take so much delight, contentment, and satisfaction in them; surely his delight in them is beyond all expression; for, saith he, Cant. vii. 6: "How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights?"+

II. As for the issue of Christ which he travailed for; namely, The fruits and effects of his death, his delight and *Omnis delectatio oritur ex conjunctione convenientis cum convenienti.Aquin.

† Da mihi filios quod si non, morior ego, Gen. xxx, morior, 1. e memoria mei plane emorietur et obliterabitur dum enim parentes post se relinqunt filios in illis quasi adhuc vivere et superesse videntur, unde vulgo apud Hebræos jactata est sententia cui non sunt liberi perinde est ac si mortuus sit: et Hebræi dicunt qui non habet filios non est ædificatus sed quasi dissipatus.-Paulus Fag. in Ch. Paraphr. in Gen. xxx.

Psal. lxxii. 17. ID '' filiabitur nomen ejus.-Ar. Montan.