of the PERSON Of CHRIST. fig. In the expreflion of this myftery the fcripture doth fometimes draw the vail over ir, as that which we cannot look into. So in his conception of the virgin, with refped unto this union which accompanied it, it was told her that the power ofthe bighefl fhould overfhadom her, Luke i. 35. Awork it wasof the power of themolt high, but hid from the eyes of men in the nature of it ; and therefore that holy thing which had no fubfiftenceof its own, which fhould be born of her, fhould be called the SonofGod, be- coming one perfon with him. Sometimes itexpreffetlh the greatnefs of the myftery, and leaves it as an objeaof our admiration, -h Tim. iii. ed. With- out controverfygreat is the myflery ofgodlinefs. God was manifefled.in the fief&. A myftery it is, and that of thofe dsmenfions as no creature can comprehend. Sometimes it putteth things together, as that the dillance of the two natures, (hall illuftrate the glory of the one perfon. John i. 14. The word was made fefb, and dwelt among us. But what word was this? That which war in the beginning, which was with God, which was God, by whom all things were made, and without whomwas not any thing made that was made, who was light and life. This word was made flefh; not by any change of his own nature or effence ; not by a tranfubftantiation of the divinenature into the humane ; not by ceanng to be what he was, but by becomingwhat he wasnot, in taking our nature tobe his own, where- by he dweltamong us. This glorious word which is God, and defcribed byhis eternity and omnipotency inworks of creation and providence, . was made flefh, which expreflèth the loweft fiate and condition of humane na- ture; without controvert) great is this myftery of godlinefs. And in that (late wherein he vifibly appeared as fo made fleih, thofe who had eyes given them from above, faw his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. The eternal Word being made ffe('n, and manifefted there- in, they faw his glory, the glory of the only Begotten of the Father. What heart can conceive, what tongue can, exprefs the leaft part ofthe glory of his divine wifdom and grace? So alfo is it propofed unto us, Ifa. ix, 6. Unto us Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and thegovern- ment(hall be on his (boulders; and his name(hall be called wonderful, coin,. feller the mighty God, the everlafling Father, the prince of peace. He is called in the firft place wonderful, and that defervedly, Prov. xxx. 4. That the mighty God fhould be a child born, and the everlafting Father a Son born unto us, may well entitle him unto the name ofwonderful. . Some ainongft us fay, that if there were no other way for the redemp- tion and faivationof the church, but this onlyof the incarnation and medi- ation of the Son ofGod, that therewas no wifdom in thecontrivance ofit. Vainman indeed, would be wife, but is like the wild afs's colt. Was there no wifdom inthe contrivanceof that, which when it is effe&ed, leaves no- thingbutadmirationunto the utmoftof all created wifdom? Whohath known the mind of the Lord in this thing? Or whobath been his counfel- ler in this work, wherein the mighty God became a child born to us, a Son given unto us? Let all vain imaginations ceafe; there is nothing left unto thefon of men, but either to rejectthe divineperfon ofChri, as many do unto their own deftruítion or humbly to adore the myftery of infinite wifdom and grace therein. And it will require a condefcending charity to judge that thofe do really believe the incarnation of the Son of God, who live not in the admiration of it as the molt adorable effeft of divine wifdom. The glory of the fame myftery is clfewhere teftified unto. Heb. i. t, 2, 3. God bath fpoken unto us by his Son, by whom alfo he made the worlds; wbo being the brightnefs of his glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon, 4
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