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High-Prieft. As God indeed, he was able to fuccour them that are tempted, though he had not been tempted: but he speaks of Chrift here as our High-Priett; and fo by be. ing tempted, he is able to fuccor them in that way. There is, (as I may fo fpeak) a Scientifical ability, or an Experi. mental ability. As he was God, he was able in the first tence to fuccour, 'tis true: but by being tempted, he is able Experimentally to fuccour them chat are tempted.

It is an ability of Disposition and Compaffion that here he fpeaks of. And therefore in the fift Chapter, fpeaking of the fame thing, he faith concerning the High-Priest, That be can bave Compaffion on the ignorant, and thofe that are out of the way. So then, Christ by being tempted, is able to fuccour those that are tempted with an ability of Idoniety, an Experimental ability: with an ability of Compaffion and Dif pofitoin, and gracious Inclination. And fo the Obfervation that lies before us, is this:

The Lord Jefus Chrift, is a fuccouring Chrift to tempted fouls.

In the former Do&trine ye heard, That God fuffers his own Servants, and deereft children to be forely tempted: Now this Do&rine holds forth the remedy, Jefus Chrift is a fuccouring Chrift to tempted fouls. As our hearts are full of Sin, So his heart is full of Succour, he is a fuccouring Chrift. His Names and Titles (peaks him fo. His Nature fpeaks him fo. His Offices, His Doctrine, His Life and Conversation; His Death and Sufferings call him a Succouring Chrift. I fhall not run thorow all these particulars. But because men are known by their Names, I will fix there a little : and we shall fee, how all the Names and Titles of Chrifi call him a Suceouring Chrift.

If we fearch the Scripture, we may obferve, That the Names of Satan, of the Devil, carry malice with them, and evil against them: And the Names of Jefus Chrift are contrary thereunto, as holding forth a Succour againft all that evil thatis in him, who is The Evil One.

Is the Devil called Satan? that is, an Adversary: Jefus

Chrift is called our Friend. Is Satan called Diabolus ? the Accufer, or the Accufer of the Brethren: Jefus Chrift is called Our Advocate. Is Satan called a Destroyer? Jefus Chrift is called our Saviour. Is Satan called a Lyon, that goes up and down feeking whom he may devour? Jefus Chrift is called a Lyon of the Tribe of Judah. Is Satan called a Serpent? and Old Serpent? Jens Chrift is called the Brafen-Serpent. Still Names of relief and fuccour anfwerable unto thofe Names of Satan.

We shall obferve, that there is no evil in Sin, but there is fomwhat in the Name of Jefus Chrift that speaks the contrary, contrary fuccour. Is finne called arouse or a tranfgreffion of the Law? Jefus Chrift is called our Righte oufness: The Lord our Righteoufneß. Is Sin called Folly Je? fus Chrift is called Wifdom, The Wisdom of the Father. Is fin called an Infirmity, or Weakneß? He is called the Rock, and the Rock of ages, and the Arm of the Lord. Is fin called Darkneß? He is called Light. Is finn called Pollution, or Uncleannef?? His blood is the Fountain opened for fin and for uncleanneß to wash in. Is fin called Death? He is called Life. Is there Ignorance in fin? He is called our Prophet, in oppofi tion to that. Is there Disorder in fin? In oppofition to that, he is called our King to order. Is there Guilt in fin? In oppofition to that, he is called our Prieft; he is called our Propitiation, in that place of John: But in the 3. of the Romans, and the 25. verfe, He is called our Propitiatory: Whom God hath fet forth to be a Propitiation (fo you reade it) but rather, a Propitiatory: the fame Greek word that the so Septuagint afed for the Jews Propitiatory: And in that he is our Propitiation, or Propitiatory; this fpeaks him a fuccouring ChriЯ.

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Famous was the fuccour, and reliefe that the Jews had from their Cities of refuge and as if the holy Ghoft intended the confirmation of this Truth that is now before us, thofe Hebrew Names that were given to the Cities of refuge are given to Chrift. Is any of the Cities of refuge called Kedefb fignifying Holy: He is called Holy, Holy, Holy. ต

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Was another City called Shechem? fignifying Shoulder: Upon bis Shoulder is the government ; and the loft sheep brought home upon his Shoulder. Is another City called Hebron? from Society, or Fellowship: By him we have fellowship with the Father. Is another called, Golan? fignifying one Revealed, or Manifefted: 'Tis faid of him, He was Manifefted in the flesh. Is another City called Ramoth? Things Exalted: Him hath God Exalted, and by him are all Exalted. In the phrafe of the new-Teftament,he is called our Father, and our Brother, and our Friend, and our Shepbeard; a Hen, a Lamb, a Door: there's none of all his Names but fpeak him full of fweetnefs and loving difpofition, and fuccour unto poor fouls.

But that I may the better clear up this Truth I fhall deliver my felf thefe Four waies.

First, That Jefus Chrift is able to fuccour tempted fouls.
Secondly, That be is willing to do it.

Thirdly, That he is faithful in doing of it.

Fourthly, How be doth it, in the day and time of their temptotion; and fo come to the Application.

First, He is able to do it Hs is able to fuccour them that are tempted. He is able (faith our Apoftle in that 17. of the Hebrews) to fave thofe that come unto God by him, he is able to fave them to the uttermoft: As Satan tempts to the uttermoft he is able to fave the uttermoft. And as they fin to the uttermoft, he is able to fave to the uttermoft. A man is faid to be able to do all that which he hath a commiffion, and power from God to do: The Lord Jefus Chrift in the 3. of the Romans and the 25.was fet forth to be a propitiation: Whom God bath fet forth to be a propitiation. He bath laid help upon one that is Mighty: and that is Chrift. Defign'd, and called he is to the office of the High-Prieft. The proper work of the High-Priefts office was, to condole with, relieve and fuccour the people against their fins: And the more Eminent any High-Prieft was, the more in this work. In the 17. of the Hebrews, we find all along, how abundantly he excels all the High-Prieks that ever were. As

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for other High-Priefts, they did not take an Oath when they came into their office: but he fwears. Other HighPriefts, had fins themselves to offer for: but he Holy, and Seperate from finners. Other High-Priefts, dyed, and did not continue fo for ever: but he liveth for ever to make interceffion. Other High-Priefts offered not Themselves: but he offered up Himself. He was a King and a Prieft: they were not. They indeed entered into the Holy of Holieft, but it was Earthy: he is gone into the Holy of Holieft,and that is Heavenly. They were but Types of him, Shadows: if a fhadow fall upon a dirty ground, it cannot make it dry; but the Sun can: and yet notwithstanding, these other High-Priefts, the Apoftle faith of them, Being compast about with infirmities; they could have compaffion on those that are ignorant, and out of the way; They men of infirmities, finners; They in the time of the Law: How much more is Jefus Chrift able to fuccour, who is fo tranfcendent an HighPrieft, and excelling all others that ever went before him. Ple fay nothing of the great Power that he hath with the Father, or in his own hands: The Keys of Hell and death. He is able by Conqueft for to fuccour you that are tempted: he is able by Conqueft for to raise the Siege that is laid againft our fouls; he hath beaten through the Enemy: As now, if a Town be beleaguer'd ftraightly, befieged by an Enemy, and the Enemy abroad in the Field, having an Army in the Field: if any will come to raife the Siege, they maft fight through the Army, they muft beat through the Army before they can raife the Siege. Never a tempted foul but is thus befieged with temptation, clofely begirt, and the Devils were abroad in the field, were the Mafters of the field till Chrift came: and no man, nor Angel was able to beat through but Jefus Chrift beat up the Quarters all along, beat through the Enemy, caft out Devils all along, overcame. Paul by being tempted overcame temptation. So by his dying he overcame death; and by taking our infirmities upon him, he overcame our infirmities; and by being fubject to the Law, he overcame the Law, and the

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carfe of the Law: and fo by being tempted, he overcame temptation; and having beaten the Enemy out of the field he is now able to rafe the Siege; he is abfolutely able to raife the Siege, which none elfe is able to do: He is able to fave to the uttermoft. We shall not need to stand long on this.

But you will fay, We will grant Chrift is able to fuccor tempted fouls: but he willing?

Yet, He is infinitly willing to fuccour poor tempted fouls. Our great fuccour lies in Reconciliation with God the Father; as by comparing thefe two verfes together doth appear. God the Father hath fet him forth to be a Propitiation: ic was the will of God the Father, that Jefus Chrift should come and make Propitiation, it was his will. Now, look into the 40. Pfalm, and fee what Chrift faith concerning the will of the Father; verfe the 7. Loe, I come in the volum of the book it is written of me : 1 delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy Law is within my heart: Some books reade it, Thy Law is within my bowels: thy Law is within my heart, tis in my defires. Yea, not only (faith he) in my defires: but in rhe Gofpel we reade it, With defiring have I defired to eat this Pafs-over, before he fuffered. Defiring have I defired And (faith be) I have a Baptifm to be baptized with, and I am ftraitened till it be accomplithe: I can have no reft till it be done, Iam ftraitened till it be accomplished. Yea, not only fo: but (faith he) here in this Pfalm, I delight to do thy will: 'tis the will of God he should make propitiation,and fo fuccour : I delight to do thy will. And in the 8. of the Proverbs: My delights are with the fans of men: fome reade it, All my delight: but 'tis in the plural number. When God laid the foundations of the earth my delights were with the fons of men. A high, and a great expreffion. Surely, Jefus Chrift cannot but be willing to fuccour tempted ones, when his delights are with the fons of

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Again, A man must needs be willing to do that which be is willing to fuffer much for, to be at much coft and pains for.

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