QUESTION III. Igy, upon him by his Father, though afterwards he was despised and rejected of men. All the while he lay in that bosom ofpeace and love, he never knew what it was tobe assaulted with temptations, to be besieged and battered upon by unclean spirits, as he did afterwards : The Lord embraced him from eternity, but never wounded him till he stood in our place and room. There were no hidings or withdrawments of his Father from him ; there was not a cloud from eternity upon the face of God till Jesus Christ had left that bosom. It was anew thing to Christ to see frowns in the face of his Father. There was never any impressions of his Father's wrath upon him, as there were afterward. There was no death to whichhe was subject in that bosom. All these things were new things toChrist ; he was above them all, till for our sakes he voluntarily subjected himself unto them." Then, after the author has shewn how great was the intimacy, the dear- ness, the delight, which was between the Father and the Son, considered in their divine nature, he draws some inferences, page 17: "I. What an astonishing act of love was this, for the Father togive the delight, the darling ofhis soul out of his very bosom for poor sinners ? Never did any child lie so close to a parent's heart as Christ did to his Father's, and yet he willingly parts with him, though his onlyone, the Son of his delight ; and that to death, a cursed death, for the worst of sinners. O matchless love ! a love past finding out ! if theFather had not loved thee hehad never parted with such a Son for thee." " II. Adore, andbe for ever astonishedat the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners, that ever he should consent to leave such a bosom, and the ineffable delights that were there, for such poor worms as we are. O the heights, depths, lengths. and breadths of unmeasurable love !" " It is admirable, says Mr. Borgeson John xvii. that Christ should not onlyput himself out of com- fort, but out of that manifested honour and glory he might have retained to himself." " If ever you found by experience what it is to be in the bosom of God bydivine communion, would you be persuaded to leave such a bosom for all the good that is in the world ? And yet Jesus Christ, who was embraced in that bo- som after another manner than ever you were acquainted with, freely left it, and laid down the glory and riches he enjoyed there for your sakes. What manner oflove is this? Who ever loved as Christ loves? Who ever denied himself for Christ, as Christ denied himself for us ?" Then after the third inference, lie adds : IV. How worthy is Jesus Christ of all our love and de- light ! he that left God's bosom for you, deserves a place in your bosoms." " Exhortation. If Christ lay eternally in this bosom of love,
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