55.1 THE GLORY br CHRIST AS GOD -MAN, those gifts of the Spirit on his apostles and the primitive chris- tians, for the ordinary and extraordinary works of grace, for It is by his will these things were done. IV. "The human nature of our Lord Jesus Christ has some influence in the succour and support of tempted christians ;" Heb. iv. 15. The apostle assures us, "We have an high-priest who was tempted in all points as we are, but without sin ; and he Can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities," that is he has a human sympathy arising from his human sufferings, and therefore we are encouraged to " come to the throne of grace to find help." And chapter ii. verse 18: " In that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempt- ed." Nosy since his ability to succour tempted souls does arise in part from his human sympathy, and from his own experience of sufferings and temptations in his human nature, it leads us naturally to conceive that even his human soul lias some hand in the succour of tempted saints. 1. Because the divine nature is not rendered more able-t6 succour them by all the temptations that the human nature sus- tained. The divine nature is infinitely and eternally able to suc- éour without any regard at all of the human nature, whether that had been tempted or no. 2. It is the design of this chapter to speak of the human nature, or rather the incarnation of Christ ; verse 17. Hemust become like us in "flesh and blood, that he might be a merciful high-priest to make reconciliation." Now here the human nature is the chief agent, or rather patient in making atonement and reconciliation, though the dignity and complete merit ariseth from its union to the divine nature Then in the next verse bis human soul having been tempted, is fitted and enabled to succour themthat are tempted, by its own sympathy with them, as he was man, but still supposing him united to deity. This is the most natural and necessary sense of the words. . Observe further, that Christ is represented as the head of the church in many scriptures, and the saints as his members pow this headship must be referred specially to his human na- ture, though not excluding the divine, because the members and head must be of the saine nature. The second chapter to the Hebrews, seems to be written with this design, to shew the ne- cessity of Christ's incarnation, in order to sustain the proper and appointed relations to his own people, viz. " Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood, therefore he took part of the same, that he might be abrother, a priest, a father, a succourer of the tempted, &c." Nor can any relation seem more necessarily to require his having ahuman nature, than that of head and members. Now in what sense can the man Jesus bear the relation of such a vital or sympathizing head united to
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