7. He is the fame for ever, in his Mediatorfhip, and in his mediatorial offices. In his prophetical office he is ftiled an everlafling light, to inftruct and direct his people, Ifa. Ix. 17. 20. In his priefily office he is called a Prieft for ever, Pfalm cx. 4.; and it is faid," He ever lives to make interceffion; and it is called an unchangeable priesthood. In his kingly office he is the fame for ever; Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever," Heb. i. 8. As King, he fhall reign for ever and ever; and, "There fhall be no end of his kingdom, Luke i. 33. The government is on his fhoulders," Ifa. ix. 6.

..

8. He is always the fame in the merit, virtue, and efficacy of what he did and fuffered for our redemption. In this refpect he is called the Lamb flain before the foundation of the world. The virtue of his blood was the fame before it was fhed, for the remiffion of the fins of believers of old, as it is fince it was fhed. Hence he is the fame object of faith, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. John iii. 14. As Mofes lifted up the ferpent in the wildernefs, even fo mult the Son of man be lifted up. Ver.15. That whof ever believeth on him fhould not perish, but have everlasting life. Verfe 16. For God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, might not perish, but have everlating life." He ever was, is, and will be the fame mean of falvation: "There is no other name given under heaven, among men, whereby we can be faved, but the name of Jefus," Acts iv. 12. He ever was, is, and will be the fame foundation to his church; " Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jefus Chrift," 1 Cor. iii. 11.

9. He is the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever, in the identity and fameness of the faith of all true believers in all ages. Abraham's faith was fuch a faith as that of Chriftians is, and their faith fuch a faith as his was: fee Rom. iv. 12. and Gal. iii. 7, 8. And, being the fame in refpect of his people's faith in him who is the Head, that body of his people, whereof he is the Head, muft continue for ever. If the Head is for ever, the body must be for ever; and on this ground it is that the gates of hell fhall not prevail against the church, Matth. xvi. 18.

10. He is always the fame in his truth, in oppofition, to all error, and diverfe or ftrange doctrines. This feems elpecially to be here intended, as appears by the preceding and fucceeding contexts: "Follow their faith who were your guides," fays the text before; "Be not carried about with diverfe and range doctrines," fay the following words. The doctrine of faith is fill the fame; and therefore diverfity and ftrangeness of doctrine is oppofed to the identity and fameness of Christ, whofe truth is fill the fame in all refpects. 1. It hath ftill the fame centre, Jefus Chrift, in whom all the lines meet, John xvi. 6. 2. It hath ftill the fame worth and value, fo as they that buy the truth may never fell it. 3. It hath ftill the fame nature. Truth is ftill truth, and cannot be a lye. 4. It hath ftill the fame found, which is fweet and joyful; and, "Bleffed are the people that hear the joyful found." 5. It hath ftill the fame virtue when known, namely, to fet at liberty: "Ye fhall know the truth, and the truth fhall make you free." 6. It hath ftill the fame relation to God, who is the God of truth; to Chrift, who is the Way and the Truth; and to the Spirit, who is the Spirit of truth. 7. It hath still the fame end and tendency, to declare, when it is af ferted, the glory of the God of truth, and to fhew forth his perfections. 8. It hath ftill the fame immutable. duration in Chrift, who is the truth, and who is the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

III. The third Head propofed, Is to fpeak of the neceflity of knowing and believing this, That Chrift ́is the fame yesterday, to day, and for ever, at all times, when faith is endangered by diverse and strange doctrines. Here I would fhew, 1. The neceffity of it at all times. 2. The fpecial neceffity of it at fuch a fhaking time.

1ft, The neceflity of knowing and believing this at all times, That Jefus Chrift is the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever. And,

1. It is neceffary for distinguishing Chrift from all creatures, and from all idols of the nations, and from all falfe Gods and falfe Chrifts. Thus Ifa. xli. 4. he is diftinguifhed from all fuch by this name ; "I the Lord, the firft,

E e 4

and

and with the laft, I am he :" and Ifa. xliv. 6." Thus faith the Lord, the King of Ifrael, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hofs, I am the first, and I am the lait, and befides me there is no God.”

2. It is always neceflary for evidencing Chrift to be the true God: Mal. iii. 6. "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye the fons of Jacob are not confumed." To be the eternal and unchangeable God, the fame yesterday, to day, and for ever; and fo for fhewing his blood to be of infinite value, as being the blood of God, fo as we may have boldnefs, in all our approaches to the holieft by the blood of Jefus.

3. It is neceffary for ftrengthening our faith in all his divine properties, promifes, and former works. In the view of this immutable name, The fame yesterday, to day, and for ever, we may fay, as Pfal. xc. 1. "Thou, Lord, haft been our dwelling-place in all generations;" why? "From everlafting to everlafting thou art God." We may, in the view of this, affure ourselves that all the promifes are in him Yea, and in him Amen to the glory of God, becaufe he is the fame yefterday, to-day, and for We may hence learn contentment, fince he hath faid, "I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee." So that we may boldly fay, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man fhall do unto me," Heb. xiii. 5, 6.

ever.

4. It is neceffary for inftructing us in the fpecial use of God's former dealings with men, namely, in the like good ways of the Lord, to expect the like bleffings; and in the like evil ways, to expect the like judgments, becaufe the Lord is the fame yeflerday, to day, and for ever. He is ever of the fame mind. What in former times was right in his eyes, and acceptable to him, is fill fo. Thus, Rom. iv. 23, 24. Now, it was not written for his fake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us alfo, to whom it fhall be inputed, if we believe in him who raifed up Jefus our Lord from the dead." What formerly offended him, and provoked his wrath, doth fo fill, 1 Cor. x. 15,-12.

5. It is neceffary for affuring us of his continual and perpetual care of his church, Mat. xxviii. 20. He hath faid, "Lo, I am with you always to the end of the

world;"

world;" and he will make it good; for, he is the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever. It may affure us alfo of the church's continuance: his church is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it, Matth. xvi. 18. There is no inchantment against Jacob, nor divination againft Ifrael.

6. It is neceffary for encouraging us at all times against all attempts of enemies, prefent and to come. Why, God hath faid of him, "Sit thou at my right-hand, until I make thine enemies thy footftool, Pfal. cx. 1. He will break them with a rod of iron, and dafh them in pieces like a potter's veffel, Pfal. ii. 9. In vain do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing. In vain do they fet themselves, and take counfel together against the Lord and his Anointed," &c. Enemies prefent, and enemies to come, fhall be dafhed in due time; for he is ftill prefent, and fill to come, the fame yesterday, today, and for ever.

2dly, I would fhew the neceffity of knowing and believing this, efpecially in fhaking times, wherein diverse and ftrange doctrines appear. Why the need of taking a view of Chrift, as the fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever, in fuch a time, may be evident in the following refpects.

1. By viewing that Chrift is immutably the fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever. In times of error and delufion we come to fee the difference between truth and error, truth and deceit; for, whenever Chrift is difcerned in this name, we are brought to understand found and faving doctrine, from that which is unfound, new, and ftrange; in regard, as Chrift is the fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever, fo truth is the fame yefterday, today, and for ever. It is one entire fyftem, and cannot be divided, one part of it from another, at any time; whereas diverfe doctrines, fpoken of verfe 9. may be known by their diverfity, or dividing of one piece of truth from another, to be unfound, unfafe, and unlike to Christ, who is always the fame. In time of error and delufion, then, a view of Chrift, as immutably the fame, is needful for making the truth evident, as a quite

different

different thing from that which is new, ftrange, and

uncouth.

2. A view of Chrift, as immutably the fame, is needful, at fuch feafons, for eftablifhing in the faith of the truth, and continuing in the faith, grounded and fettled, and not being moved away from the hope of the gospel, Col. i. 2, 3. by whatever fhaking wind: for a view of Ghrift, as the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever, and of his truth, as ftill the fame, as ever it was, this natively moves the believing foul to have the fame love to truth as ever, the fame esteem of the truth as ever, the fame delight in the truth as ever, and the fame zeal and concern for the truth as ever; becaufe Chrift, and his truth, is the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

3. A view of Chrift, as immutably the fame, is needful, in fuch a time, for correcting our inconftancy, our levity in departing from the truth, and not cleaving to it, but being eafily feduced and drawn afide, like thofe whom the apoftle calls children toffed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the fleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they ly in wait to deceive, Eph. iv. 14. A view of Chrift, and his truth, as immutably the fame, tends to correct this; for this levity then appears to be an affronting of the truth of Chrift, as if it were not the fame; an affronting of Chrift, as if he were not the fame Chrift that he was; and an affronting of ourfelves as changeable creatures, unlike to him, who is invariably the fame.

4. The view of Christ, and his truth, as immutably the fame, is needful, in fuch a feafon, for fhewing the falfhood and damnable tendency of new and ftrange doctrine; for if God, and Chrift, and truth, be ftill the fame, then a new and ftrange God, is a falfe God; a new and ftrange Chrift, is a falfe Chrift; a new and ftrange doctrine, is a falfe doctrine. A God that we had not yefterday, is a falfe God; a Chrift that we had not yesterday, is a falfe Chrift. Chrift is the fame yefterday, to-day, and for ever; therefore a Christ that was not yesterday, as well as to-day, is a falfe Chrift. A doctrine that was not to be found in our Bible, nor taught us in the word formerly, is a falfe doctrine. Hence the apoftle exhorts,

Col.