'28 MEDITATIONS, AND DISCOURSES. a thing divine and spiritual; but preserved it entire in all its essential properties and actings. Hence it really did and suffered, was tried, tempted, and fitrsaken as the same nature in any other man might do and be. That nature as it was peculiarly his, and therefore he or his person therein, was exposed unto all the tempo- rary evils which the samenature is subject unto in any other person. This is a short general view of this incomprehensible condescension of the Son of God, as it is described by the apostle, Phil. ii. 5 -8. And this is that wherein in an especial manner we are to behold the glory of Christ by faith whilst we are in this world. But had we the tongue of men and angels, we were not able in just measure to express the glory of this condescension. For it is the most ineffable effect of the divine wisdom of the Father and of the love of the Son, the highest evidence of the care of God towards mankind. What can be equal unto it? What can be like it? It is the glory of the Christian religion, and the animating soul of all evangelical truth. This carrieth the mystery of the wisdom of God, above the reason or understanding of men and angels to be the object offaith and admiration only. A mystery it is that becomes the greatness of God with his infinite distance from the whole creation; which renders it unbecoming him that -all his ways and works should be comprehensible by any dills creatures. Job xi. 4, 5, 9. Rom. xi. 34, 85, 36. He who was eternally in the form of God, that is, was essentially so, God by nature, equally participant of the same divine nature with God the Father; God over all, blessedfor ever; who humbleth himself to be- hold the things that are in heaven and earth: he lakes on him the nature ofman, takes it tobehis own; where- by he was no less truly a man in time, than he was truly God from eternity; and to increase the wonder of this mystery because it was necessary unto the end he designed, he so humbled himself in this assumption of our nature, as to make himself of no reputation in this world, yea, unto that degree, that he said of him- self, that he was a worm and no man, in comparison of tbemwho were of any esteem. 'We speak of these things in a poor, low, broken manner. We teach them as they are revealed in the scripture. We labour by faith to adhere unto them as revealed. But when we come intoa steady, direct view and consideration of the thing itself, our minds fail, our heart tremble, and we can find no rest, but in a holy admiration of what we cannot comprehend. Here we are at a loss, and know that we shall be so whilst we are in this world: bat all the ineffable fruits and benefits of this truth are communicated unto them that do be- lieve. It is with reference hereunto, that that great promise concerning him is givenunto the church, lsa. viii. 14. ,t He shall be for a sanctuary," (namely, unto all that believe, as it is expounded, 1 Peter ii. 8.) " but for a " stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to " them that stumble at the word, being disobedient, " whereunto also they were appointed." . He is herein a sanctuary, an assured refuge unto all that betake themselves unto him. What is it that any man in distress, who flies thereunto, may look for in a sanctuary? A supply of all his wants, a deliverance from all his fears, a defence against all his dangers, is proposed unto him therein. Such is the Lord Christ herein unto sin-distressed souls; he is a refuge unto us in all spiritual distresses, and disconsolations, Hei-. vi. 18. " That by two immutable things, in which it was " impossible for-God to lie, we might have astrong con- " solution, whohave fled for refuge to lay hold upon the " hope set before us." See the exposition of the place. Arewe or any of as burdened with a sense of sin? Are we perplexed with temptations? Are we bowed down under the oppression of any spiritual adversary? Do we on any of these accounts walk iu darkness and have no light? One viewof the glory of Christherein is able to support us and relieve us. Unto whom we betake ourselves for relief in any case, we have regard to nothing but their will and their power. If they have both, we are sure ofrelief. And what shall we fear in the will of Christ as unto this end? What will he not do for us? He who thus emptied and humbled himself; who so infinitely condescended from the prerogative of hisglory inhis being and self-sufficien- cy, in the susception of our nature for the discharge of the officeof a mediator on our behalf; will he not re- lieve us inall our distresses? Will he not do all for us we stand in need of, that we may be eternally saved? Will henot be a sanctuary unto us? Nor have we hereon any ground to fear his power:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=