ad8 An Sxpofition of the CHAP. II. Thenecelfity ofthis Incarnation of Chrift, with refped unto the End of it, hath before been declared, evinced and confirmed. We than now (lay only a little toad- mire the Love,Grace and Mytlerieof it. And we fee here, IV. That the LordChrift out of bis inexprefjble Love, willingly fubmitted himfelf unta every condition of the Children to be faved by him, and to every thing in everycondition of them, fin only excepted. They beingoffle(h andblood which mutt be attended with many infirmities, and expofed untoall forts of Temptations and miferies, he himfelf would alfo partake ofthe fame. His delight was of Old in theSonsof men, Prov. 8. 30. andhis heart was full of thoughts of Love towards them ; and that aloneput him on this Refolution, Gal. z. zo. Rev. t. 5. When God refufed Sacrifices and Burnt- Offerings as infufficient tomake the Attonement required, and the matter was rolled on his hand alone, it was a Joy unto him that he had a Body prepared, wherein he might difcharge his work, although he knew what he had todo and Cuter therein, PP/. 4o. 8, 9. Heb. so. 6, 7, 8, 9. He rejoyced to do the will of God, in taking the body pre- paredfor him, becaùfe the children were partakers of flelh and blood. Though he was in the form ofGod, equal unto him, yet that Mind,that Love, that Affedtion to- wards us was in him, that to belik unto ut, andthereby to fave us, he emptyed him- felf, and took on him the form of a fervent, our form, and became like untous, Phil. z. 5, 6, 7, 8. He would be like unto us, that he might make us likeunto himfelf; he would takeour fleih, that he might giveunto his Spirit. He would joyn himfelf un- to us,and becomeone fiefh with us, thatwe might be joyned unto him, and become one Spiritwith him, r Cor. 6. 17. And as this was a Fruit of his Eternal antecedent Love, fo it is a fpringof confequent Love. When Eve wasbrought unto Adamafter the was taken out of him, Gen. z. 23. to manifeft the ground of that Affection whichwas tobe alwaÿes between them, he fayes of her, this is now boneofmy bone, and lefh of myflefh. And by this condefcention of Chrift, faith the Apofile, are we members of his body and of hisflejh, and of his bones, EpheÇ5..30..Whence he infers, that be loves and nourifbeth hisChurch, as a mandash his .ownflefh. And how thould this inexpreffible Love of Chrift confirain us to love him and to live unto him, oCor. 14, t5. As alfo to labour to be like unto him, wherein all our bleffdnefl confifteth, feting for that end hewas willing tobe likeunto us, whence all hir troubles and fufferings arofe. Here alfo we fee that, V. It was only in fiefbandblood the fubflanceand Once of humane nature, and not in our perfenal infirmities that the LordChrift was made like unto us. He took to himfelf the nature of all men, and not the Perfon of any man. -We have not only humane nature in common, but we have every one particular Infirmities and weakneffes fol- lowing that nature, as exifling in our finful perfons. Such are the ficknefs.and pains of our bodies from inwarddiflempers ; and the diforderof the Paffions of our minds. Of theft the LordChrift did not partake ; It wasnot needful, it was notpal- Ole that he fhould do fo ; not needful, becaufe he could provide for their cure with- out affuming them ; notpoffiblt, for they can have no place in a nature innocent and holy. And therefore he took our nature; not by an immediate new creation out of nothing, or ofthe dull of the earth like Adam; for if fo,though hemight have been like untous, yet he would havebeen no kin to us, and fo could not have been our Gael to whom the right ofRedemption did belong ; nor by natural Generation, which would have rendered our nature in himobnoxious to the fin and punifhment ofAdam: but by a miraculous conception of aVirgin, whereby he had truly our nature, yet not fubjet`t on itsown account, unto any one of thofe evils, whereunto it is liable as pro- pagatedfrom Adamin an ordinary courfe : And thus though he was joyned untous to our nature ; yet as he was holy, harmlefland undefiled in thatnature, he was feparate fromftnners, Heb. y. z5._ So that although our nature frfred more inhis Perfon, then it was capable of in the Perfon of any Meer man, yet not being debafed by any finful imperfection , it was alwayes excellent, beautiful and glorious. And then, V I.Tbat the SonofGodfhould tale part in humane nature with the children, is the greateff and mpg admirable effelt of Divine Love, Wifdom and Grace. So our Apoltle propofeth it, tTim. 3.t6. AMyfterie which the Angels with all diligence defire to look into, s Pet. t. r t, t z. See john1.14. Ifa. 9.6. Rom. 9. 5. Atheifis fcoffat itlu, de- ded
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=