Ver... the 8th Chapter of the ROMANS. a y whole race of mankind, Gal. 4. 4. made of a woman, made under the law. His humane nature was a creature, and bound to be in fsbjeitionto the Creator ; but then you will fay, if Chrift obeyed the Law for himfdf, what merit could there be in his Obedience Much every way, becaufe he voluntarily put himfelf into this condition ; as a man that was, free before, if he remove his dwelling into another Cóubtry and Dominion, mere- ly for his friends fake, he is bound to the laws of that Country, how hard foever they be ; and the merit of his love is noway leffened, becaufe he did it voluntarily and for friendfhips fake. Well then, there is much in this,that Chrift who was a Soveraign would become a Subje&,,arid obey the fame laws that we are bound to keep, not only to be a pattern and example to us, but by his obedience to recover what by our difobedience was loft, and be a fountain of Grace and Holinefe in our nature. Q. That in the fame nature he might fuffer the penalty and turf of the law, as well as fal- fihthe duty of it ; and fo make fatisfaftion for our fins% which ( as God ) he could not do. We read he was made acurfe far us, Gal. 3. t3: and Phil. 3.8. he was obedient to the death, eve n the death of the crofs. Death was threatned, and a curie denounced againft thofe that obeyed not the Law ; and we being guilty of fin, could by no means avoid this death, therefore Chrift came in the inners room to Puffer death, and bear the, curd for us, to free us from the law of fin and death; and by this means the jnflice of God is eminently demonftrated, the Lawgiver vindicated, and the breach that was made in the frame of. Government repaired, and God manifefted to be holy, and a hater of fin, and yet the inner faved fromdeiru &ion. 3. That be might trot and counterwork Satans defign ; which was double ; firfl to di/ho. noter God by a falfe reprefentation ; as if he were envious of mans' happinefs, Gen. 3. 5; God doth kno.w,that in the day ye eat thereofyour eyes (hall be open, and ye fhall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. That is, fufficient to themfelves without his direl ion. Satans aim was to weaken the eieem of Gods goodnefs in our hearts ; now when Chrift will take flefh and dwell among us, and do whatfoever is neceffary for our rellauration and re- covery, His goodnefs is wondrfully magnified, and he is reprefented as amiable to man, not envying our knowledg and happinefs, but promotingit at the deareft rates.That God ihould be madensan, and die for finnets, it is the higheft deionflrationof his goodnefs that can be given us l 1 John 4.9. In this was the love of God manifefed towards us, that God Pent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live by him. What great- . er proof canwe have that God is not envious, but loving, yea love its fell ? Secondly, Satans other deign was to deprefs the nature of man, who in innocency flood fo near unto God, that falling off from our duty we might fall alto from thatfirmamenrof glo- ry, wherein God at our Creation had placed us, and upon the breach there might be a great diftance between us and God. Now that the humane nature fo depreffed and abated by the malicious fuggeflion of the Devil, fhoald be fo elevated and advanced, and let far above the Angelical Nature, and admitted to dwell with God in a pert-dial Union : Oh ! how is the deign of the Devil defeated ? The great intent of this Mylie- ry,God manifefied in the flefh, was to make way for a nearnefs between God and us, Chrift condefcended to be nigh to us by taking the humane nature into the unity of his Perlon, that we might be nigh unto GM, not only draw nigh unto him now in the Evangelical Eftate but be everlaüngly nigh unto him in heavenly Glo- ry. When we firs enter into the Gofpel- flate,we that were afar off, are raid to be made nigh in Chrift Eph. a. 13. but this is but a preparation for a sloler Communion, Con- junction, and nearnei to God, when 'we (hall be ever with the Lord, a Thef 4. 17. 4. To give us a pledg of the tendernels of his love and compaffion towards us.For he that is our kinfman, bone of our bone, and fiefh of ourflefh, will he be Grange to his own flefh ? Efpecially, ince he is not fo by neceffity of nature, but by voluntary choice and affumption: we could not have Inchconfident and familiar difcourfe with one who is of another and different nature from us; nor put our fuits into his hands with fuch croft and affurance : 'tis a motive to man, Thoufhalt not hide thy felf from thine own flefh, Ira. 58. 7. A beggar is our ownflefh;men in pride and difdain will not own it, &üut up their bowels againft them ; but Chrifthad our nature in perfection ; this made La /an (tho otfierwife a churlifh man) kind to Jacob, Gen. 29. 14. Surely thou art bone of my bene, and flefh of my flefh : But this is not all, Chrift affumed humane nature, that he might experiment infirmities in his Own perfon,and his heart be more tendred towards us Heb. z. 17, 18. In all things it behoved him to be a merciful and faithful high priefi in things pertaining to God in making reconciliation for the fins of the people; for in that he himfelf bath fufered being tempted, he is able to fuccor chars that are tempted.Wa have more Ali- ranee
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