He was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh;' and it follows, 'declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.' And so likewise in 1 Pet. iii. 18: He was put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit.' He was put to death in his human nature, but quickened and raised as he was God.

3. The Spirit is taken likewise for the third person in the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit. And indeed, whatsoever God the Father or God the Son doth graciously to man, it is done by the Spirit. For, as the Holy Spirit is in the order of the persons, so he is in the order of working. The Father works; from himself; the Son works from the Father; the Holy Spirit from them both. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, as a common principle. Therefore, sometimes the Father is said to raise Christ's body by his Spirit. Christ is said to do things by the Spirit. Here, in this place, it is especially to be understood of Christ's divine nature, not excluding the Holy Ghost. For as the Holy Ghost, in the incarnation, sanctified his flesh,' the second person took flesh, but the third person sanctified it. So in the resurrection of Christ, [it was] the second person that raised itself up, but yet it was by the Holy Ghost too. So when there is mention here of Christ justified by the Spirit,' that is, by his Godhead and by the Holy Ghost, which he alway used, not as an instrument-for the Holy Ghost is a common principle with himself, one with himself, of equal dignity, only differing in the order of persons; whatsoever Christ did, he did with the Spirit. That must not be excluded. Christ was as well 'justified in the Spirit,' as God, as manifest' in our nature to be man.

And this was in the time of his abasement. In the greatest extremity of abasement, there was somewhat that came from Christ, to justify' him that he was the Son of God, the true Messiah. There is no part of his abasement but some beams of his Godhead did break forth in it.

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He was made flesh, but he took upon him the 'flesh' of a virgin. Could that be otherwise than by the Spirit, to be born of a virgin, she remaining a virgin? When he was born, he was laid in a manger. Indeed, there was God in the low estate of the flesh. Ay, but the wise men worshipped him,' and the star' directed them, Mat. ii. 11. There he was 'justified in the Spirit.' He was tossed when he was asleep in the ship, but he commanded the winds and the waves, Mat. xiv. 24, seq. He wanted money to pay tribute, as he was abased; but to fetch it out of a fish, there he was justified, Mat. xvii. 27. The one was an argument of his poverty and meanness, but the other was an argument that he was another manner of person than the world took him for, that he had all the creatures at his command. He was apprehended as a malefactor, but he struck them all down with his word, 'Whom seek ye?' John xviii. 4.

Come to the greatest abasement of all; when he was on the cross, he hung between two thieves. Ay, but he converted the one of them. When the thief had so much discouragement to see his Saviour hang on the cross, yet he shewed such power in that abasement, that the very thief could see him to be a king, and was converted by his Spirit. He did hang upon the cross; but, at the same time, there was an eclipse. The whole world was darkened (h), the earth trembled, the rocks brake, the centurion justified' him, 'Doubtless, this was the Son of God,' Mat. xxiii. 47. He was sold for thirty pence (i), but he that was sold for thirty pieces did redeem the whole world by his blood.

Nay, at the lowest degree of abasement of all, when he struggled with

the wrath of God, and was beset with devils, then he triumphed. When he was visibly overcome, then invisibly he overcame. He was an invisible conqueror when he was visibly subdued. For, did he not on the cross satisfy the wrath of God, and by enduring the wrath of God free us from it and from Satan, God's jailor, and reconcile us by his blood? The chief works of all were wrought in his chief abasement. At length he died and was buried; ay, but he that died rose again gloriously. Therefore he was ' mightily declared to be the Son of God by raising himself from the dead.' That was the greatest abasement when he lay in the grave; and especially then he was justified' by his resurrection from the dead and his ascension, in his state of glorification especially. So, if we go from Christ's birth to his lowest degree of abasement, there was alway some manifestation of his justification by the Spirit.

He was 'justified' in a double regard.

1. In regard of God, he was justified and cleared from our sins that he took upon him. He bore our sins upon the tree,' and bore them away, that they should never appear again to our discomfort. He was made ‘a curse for us.' How came Christ to be cleared of our sins that lay upon him? When by the Spirit, by his divine nature, he raised himself from the dead. So he was justified' from that that God laid upon him, for he was our surety. Now the Spirit raising him from the dead, shewed that the debt was fully discharged, because our surety was out of prison. All things are first in Christ and then in us. He was acquitted and justified from our sins, and then we.

2. And then he was justified by the Spirit from all imputations of men, from the misconceits that the world had of him. They thought him to be a mere man, or a sinful man. No. He was more than a mere man; nay, more than a holy man; he was God-man. Whence were his miracles? Were they not from his divine power? He overcame the devil in his temptations. Who can overcome the devil, but he that is the Son of God? He cast out devils, and dispossessed them with his word. All the enemies of Christ that ever were, at length he conquered them, and so declared himself mightily to be,' as he was, the Son of God.' He healed the outward man and the inward man by his divine power; he caused the spiritual as well as the bodily eyes to see, the dead to live, and the lame to go, &c. Whatsoever he did in the body he did in the soul likewise. In those excellent miracles he was 'justified,' and declared to be the Son of God,' especially in his resurrection and ascension, and daily converting of souls by his ministry; all being done by his Spirit, which is his vicar in the world, ruling his church and subduing his enemies. So that he was every way 'justified in the Spirit' to be God, to be the true Messiah prophesied of and promised to the church. Therefore he was justified' in his truth, that all the promises were true of him; and in his faithfulness, that he was faithful in performing the promises he made. He was 'justified' in his goodness and mercy, and all those attributes; he was 'justified in the Spirit.' Obj. But you will say, it seems he was not 'justified in the Spirit.' There are many heretics that think not Christ to be God; that take not Christ to be so glorious as he is.

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Ans. I answer: When we speak of the justifying of Christ, it is meant to those that have eyes to see him, to those that shut not their eyes. was justified' to be so great as he was to those whose eyes the god of the world had not blinded,' 2 Cor. iv. 4; to all that were his; as it is excellently set down, John i. 14, The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among

us; and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.' We beheld his glory.' We did; others did not take notice: but they were those whose eyes the god of the world hath blinded,' the malicious Scribes and Pharisees, that sinned against the Holy Ghost, and would never acknowledge Christ; and ignorant people, that had not faith nor the Spirit of God. He was justified by the Spirit of God, to all that had spiritual eyes to see and take notice of his course; as St John saith in one of his epistles, What we have seen and heard, and our hands have handled, the Word of life, that we declare to you,' 1 John i. 1. So that he was God manifest in the flesh,' and he shewed himself to be the 'Word of life' to those that were his apostles and disciples, and those that were converted by him. As we see St Peter, when he had felt his divine power upon his heart by his preaching, Lord,' saith he, 'thou hast the words of eternal life; whither shall we go?' John vi. 68. He felt the Spirit in his preaching. And so another time, St Peter, in Matt. xvi. 16, he confessed him to be the Son of the living God.' You see to whom he was justified' and declared to be the true Messiah, to be God as well as man by his Spirit.

The reason why he justified himself to be so, 1. It was the more to strengthen our faith. All his miracles were but so many sparkles of his divine nature, so many expressions of his divine power. And after he was raised from the dead, at his ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost, he shewed his divine power more gloriously; and all to strengthen the faith of the elect; and, 2. To stop the mouths of all impudent rebellious persons. For, considering that he wrought such miracles, that he raised men from the dead, and raised himself; considering that he called the Gentiles, and converted the world, by the ministry of weak men, he shewed that he was more than a man. Well! to make some use of this, that Christ was

• Justified in the Spirit.'

Then first of all,

Use 1. Christ will at length justify himself. This is a ground of faith. However he be now as a sign set up that many speak against and contradict, yet the time will come when he will gloriously justify himself to all the world. Now some shut their eyes willingly, and the opposites of Christ seem to flourish; yet Christ will be justified by his Spirit' to all his elect in every age, especially in the resurrection. For 'when he shall come and appear to be glorious in his saints,' 2 Thes. i. 10, it will appear who he is indeed. Now he suffers many to tread upon his church, and he suffers many heretics to deny him, sometimes in one nature, sometimes in another, and so to offend against him. But the time will come that he will trample all his enemies under his feet; he will be ‘justified by his Spirit.' That is our comfort. There are many schismatics and heretics and persecutors, but Christ will be 'justified' at length. The kingdoms of the earth will be the Lord Jesus Christ's,' Rev. xi. 15. Are they not now so? They are. But truly they appear not to be so. But at length they will appear to be so. At the conversion of the Jews and the confusion of antichrist, then it will appear more and more that he is King of the world indeed. Now, as it were, his offices are darkened: his kingly office is darkened and his prophetical office is darkened; but at length it will appear that he is King of the church, and all kingdoms will be Christ's. There are glorious times coming, especially the glorious day of the resurrection. Christ at length will be cleared, he will be justified. The sun at length will scatter all the clouds. In the morning they gather about the sun, as if they would cover it. Oh, but the sun breaks through

all, and gloriously appears at length. So Christ will scatter all clouds, and gloriously appear to be that which the word sets him forth to be.

Again, As Christ will justify himself, so he will justify his church and children, first or last, by his Spirit. His children are now accounted the offscouring of the world. They are trampled and trod upon, they are the objects of scorn and hatred, and who accounted so base? Will Christ endure this? No. He that 'justified' himself; that is, that declared himself, and will more and more declare himself to be as he is; will he not 'justify' his church, his mystical body, to be as they are indeed? Certainly it shall appear to the world that he will justify them, to be kings and priests, to be heirs, to be glorious, to be so near and dear to him as the Scripture sets them forth to be. Whatsoever the Scripture hath spoken of the saints and children of God, the time will come that all this shall be justified' and made good by that Spirit of Christ, whereby he made good whatsoever he hath said of himself.

Therefore in our eclipses and disgraces let us all comfort ourselves in this. Let the world esteem us for the present as the refuse of the world, as persons not worthy to be acquainted with, not worthy to be regarded; we shall be justified' and cleared and glorified, especially at that day 'when Christ shall come to be glorious in his saints.' There is a hidden life of the church and every Christian; they have a life in Christ, but that life is hid in Christ,' in heaven, Col. iii. 3. As the flowers in winter they have a life, but it is hidden in the root. • When Christ shall appear,' as blessed St Paul and St John say, then it shall appear who we are.' Then our 'glorious life,' that now is in our Head, shall appear;' then we shall be justified to be so glorious,' as the Scripture sets us forth to be. The church shall be glorious within and without, too, at that day. Therefore let us comfort ourselves. This hidden life, though it appear not now, yet we shall be justified. And hence we may answer some objections likewise.

Obj. Some may say, How doth it appear that Christ is King of the church? We see how the church is trampled on at this day. Where is the life and glory of the church? What! his spouse, and thus used! What! his turtle, and thus polluted and plucked by the birds of prey!

Ans. I answer, Look with other spectacles, with the eye of faith, and then you shall see a spring in the winter of the church. However she be now abased and eclipsed, yet she shall be justified;' and it will appear that Christ regards his church and people and children more than all the world besides, only there must be a conformity.

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It was fit there should be a time of Christ's abasement; how should he have suffered else? The world would never have crucified God. They could not have done it. Therefore he was abased; he veiled his Godhead under his manhood, under a base condition, so he passed through suffering to glory.' So it must be in the body of Christ. It must pass through the veil of infirmities, of weakness, affliction, and disgrace. How else should it be conformable to Christ? If Christ had justified' himself at all times in his humiliation, he could not have suffered; if we should be justified now and appear to all the world who we are, who would persecute us? how could we be conformable to Christ? Therefore let us quietly and meekly a-while endure these things, that are nothing but to conform us to our Head, knowing this, that as he was 'justified' by little and little, till he was perfectly justified' when he was raised from the dead, so we shall be perfectly justified' and freed from all imputations at the last day, when by the same Spirit that raised him we shall be raised up too.

Nay, in this world, when it is for his glory and for our good, he will bring our righteousness to light as the noonday, Ps. xxxvii. 6; he will free us from the imputations that the world lays on us; he will have a care of our credit. For as Christ was 'mightily declared to be the Son of God' in a fit time, so shall we when we are fit. Then the world shall see that we are not the men that profane, bitter, malicious persons, led with the spirit of the devil, charged us to be.

Let us take no scandal at the present afflictions of the church. Christ will justify his mystical body by his glorious power in good time. Antichrist shall not alway ruffle* in the world. Christ will be justified to be the King and Ruler of the world. 'All power is committed to him,' Mat. xxviii. 18. But we see it now. Antichrist rages in the world, and the church seems to be under hatches. So it is with particular Christians. Those that belong to God, and indeed are truly such as they profess themselves to be though with much weakness-we see in what respect and esteem they are had. 'Let us comfort ourselves, beloved.' Christ justified himself by his Spirit, and will he not justify his poor church, and free it from the tyranny of antichrist? Will he not advance those that are trodden on now and made as the dirt in the street, that they shall shine as the sun?' Daniel xii. 3. Therefore when you hear of the dejected state of the churches abroad, be not dismayed. Consider there is a glorious King that rules the world, and he will make it appear ere long. He will justify himself and his church, for he suffers in his church. He is wise. He sees cause to do this. He is working his own work. He corrects and rules and purgeth his church in the furnace of affliction. But be sure the time will come that he will bring the cause of religion to light, and he will shew what side he owns; he will justify his truth, and tread Satan and all his members under feet. This frame of things will not hold long. As verily as Christ is in heaven, as verily as he is justified' in his own person by his Spirit, by his divine power, so he will justify his mystical body. And as he hath conquered in his own person, so he will by his Spirit conquer for his church.

Use 2. And as he will overcome for his church, so he will overcome in his church; stronger is he that is' in the church, in you, than he that is in the world,' 1 John iv. 4; and God's children will be triumphant. Though they may be discouraged in respect of the present carriage of things, yet the Spirit that is in them, above the world, will gather strength by little and little, and it will appear at length, notwithstanding present discouragements. Undoubtedly the best things will have a true lustre and glory at length, however they seem to be carried for the present. You see as Christ hath justified' himself to be the true Messiah, and as he hath justified himself, so he will justify all his. There is the same reason for both.

For our further instruction and comfort, let us consider, that in regard of God likewise, we shall be 'justified' from our sins in our consciences here and at the day of judgment, before angels and devils and men. As Christ was justified' from our sins himself, and he will justify every one of us by his Spirit, his Spirit shall witness to our souls that we are justified; and likewise his Spirit shall declare it at the day of judgment; it shall be openly declared that we are so indeed. There is a double degree of justification: one in our conscience now, another at the day of judgment. Then it shall appear that we have believed in Christ, and are cleansed from * That is, swagger or bully.'-G. † That is, restraint or concealment.-G.

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