V s R. I I,12,,13. Epifile to the H s D E W S. 25 their offence' at the abUieclcondition and fuffering's of the Mffiah. He had Minded them of the work that he had to do, which was to fave bis Elea by a fpiritual and: eternal falvation. He had alío intimated whatwas their condition by nature, wherein they were unclean, unfanctifi'd, feparate from God. And withal! had made known what the Suffice ofGod, as the Supreme Governour and Judge ofall required, that finners might beLaved. Henowminds themof the Union that was between him and them, whereby he becamefit to fgeer for them, as thatthey might enjoy the bleffed cffe&s thereof in deliverance andfalvation. Thirdly, The Apofile laysdown an Inference from his preceding affertion, in thofe words, For which caufi he is not afhowed to caathem brethren. In whichwördS we have I. The refpeét of that which 'is here affirmed unto the affertion fore-going ; for which caufi, 2. The thing it felf affirmed, which is, That the Lord Cbriff calls thefins to be brought unto glory, his brethren. 3. The manner of his fo doing, he is not a/hamed to caB' themfo. And herein alfo the Apoftle,according to his wonted way of proceedings' which we have often ohferved, makesa tranfition towards fomewhat elfe which he had indefign, namely the Prophetical Office ofChrifl, as we{hall fee afterwards. For which carafe; that is, becaufe theyare ofone, partakers of one common na- ture ; He calls.them brethren. This gives a rightful foundation unto that Appellation Hereon is built that relation which is between him and them. It is true; there is more required to perfect the relation ofBrotherhood between him and them, than meetly their beingofone; but it is fofar eftabliflied from hence; that he was meet tofuffer rot them, to fanaifie and favethem. And without thisthere could have beenno fach re- lation. Now his callingof themBrethren Both both declare, thatthey arefo, and alfo that he owns them and avouches them as filch. But whereas it may be faid, that al-, thoughthey are thusofone in refpe& of their common nature, yet upon fundry other accounts he is foglorious, and they are fo vile and miferable, that he might juttly dif- avow this cognation, and Tele& them as (}rangers; The Apofile tells us it is otherwife; and that patting by allother diftances between them, and fetting afide the confidera- tion of their unworthinefs, for which hemight jufily difavow them, and remembring wherefore he was of omwith them,he is not dihamed to call them brethren. Theremay be à tolmaes in the'words, and the contrary ofrtedto that which isdenied ; he is not afhamed; that is willingly, cheerfully, and readilyhe doth ir. tut I rather look upon it as an exprefiion ofeondefcenftonand love ; and hereinBoth the Apoftle thew the ufe of what he taught before, that they wereof one, namely that thereby they became Brethren, he meet to futfer for them, and they meet to be Paved by him: What in all thistheApo, file confirms bythe enfuingte(ìimonfes, we (hall fee intheexplication of them; in the mein timewe may learn for our own inttru&ion, IV. That nrtwith(fancling theunion of nature which is between the Son of God inearnate the Sanaifïer, and the children that are to befanfoifed there is in reffrea of their Perfns an inconceivable .diffance between them, f; that it is a marvellous eondefcenfion in him to call them. brethren. He is not affrmed tocall them fo, though confidering'whathimfif is, and what they are, it fhould feem that he might jufilybe fo. The fame exprefliion forthe like reafons is ufed concerning Gods owning his-people incovenant, chap. 1. t6. Wherefore God it not afhamed tobe called their God. And this diftance between Chrift and us, which makeshis condefcenlion to marvellous, relates unto a four -fold head. Firlt, The immunity of the nature wherein hewas ofone withus in his Perron, from all fin. He was made libe unto us in all things, fn excepted. The nature of man ist every other individual'perfon is defiled with,and debafcd by fin. We are every one gone affray, and are become altogether filthyOr abbominable, Thisfets us at no fmall.diltance from him. Humane nature defiled with fin, is farther diftanced from thefame nature as pureand holy, in worth and excellency, than the.meaneft worm is from themoll glori- ous Angel. Nothing but fin calls the creature out of its omnplaco, and puts it intd anotherdifiance fromGod than ir hathby beinga creature. This is adebafementunto bell, as theProphet fpeaks, Thou didffdebate thy felfeven unto hell, Ifa. 57. 9. And there- fore the condefcenfion of God unto us in Chrdt is let-out by his regarding of uss when we wereenemies unto him, Rom. 5. 10. that is, whilft we werefinners, as verf 8. This had call us intohell it felt, at the moll inconceivable diffance from him.. Yet this hindred not him, who was holy, harmlefa, undefiled, feparate from finners, toownus as hisbrethren. HePays not with thofe proud hypocritesin the Prophet; Standfarth'iit Eeee a oifr
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