250 An Expofztion upon Chap .8, appointing us unto falvation,but Gods own love moved him to give and fend Chrift unto us, John 3, i6. T I m. What if the ufe of this third and Taff leffon? S I L. It Both admonifh all the faith - ful,that ftnceGod freely out of his love lent his Son for them ; therefore it is their duty to fend their hearts unto him, wholly to be his, as men fend mutuall gifts one to another. Rom.12.s. T i m. What is meant here by the fimi- litudeof fnfu!I flesh? SI L. The meaning is, that Chrift being Pent of his Father, became a very man, having the true nature ofa man, being like to all other men except fin: alto by flesh is here meant, humane na- ture confifting of body and foul, being confideredwithout corruption of fin. T I m. Why doth he fay, in the f militude OP? f eji'? Sr L. To teach us that Chrifts man- hood not only feemed andappeared,but indeed was fuch, as is the manhood and nature of every othér man. Secondly, to fhew us, that howsoever a naturali eye could fee nothing but the form of a man, yet that he had another, even a di- vine nature, not to be perceived, but by the eye of faith. T r M. Why if fin addedhere and pus to S I L. First, becaufe humane nature as we bear it, is corrupted with fin: but Chrift took it pure without fin. Second- ly, our nature as Chrift took it, though it were free from the contagion of fin, yet it was not free from the effe&s and fruits of fin; for he was fubje& to hun- ger, thirft, cold, nakednefs, wearinefs, and death it felf: which becaufe they are the neceflary confeyuents of fin, there- fore are they here called by the name of finne. T i m. What h the inffru£fion that ari- feth from thefe words being thus opened? S i L. That Chtift was truly incar- nate and made man for our fakes : as God taking mercy on loft mankinde, is the efficient caufe of our freedome; fo his Son Pent, is the materiali caufe of our freedome. T Ia. Wherefore was the Son of God rather to take humane nature,tben the nature of Angels? S I L. Becaufe the purpofe of God was to redeem and fave,not the Angels, but mankind, Heb.2.15,16. which as it doth exprefs the greatnefs of Gods love to man, fo it mutt greatly excite and flir up mans love to God : for it is very confiderable, that men and Angels are both finners, yet the remedy was allow- ed to us. TIM. But wherefore was the San of God, to take mans nature pure without fin? Chri[khad Ssi. Becaufe otherwife he could nei- not raved then have been made a facriflce for us, usrromea. bcinF Ai.4 nor righteoufnefs to us :for had he had rdtainueq our naturewith the leaff fin, he could not only have been no Saviour to us, but himfèlf ( hould have flood in need of a Saviour,and inílead of giving nigh - teoufnefs to others, mull have received righteoufnefs from another. Tr M. But how mar it pof ble to fiver fin and our nature one from the other? SI L. Well enough: he that fevered them in the firft Adam by creation,could tell how to fever them in the fecund A- dam by incarnation ;as he will at length fever them in all beleevers at their glo- rification, fin being but an accident which may be feparated without hurt to the fubje&. Tim. What if the ufe of this? S I L. Fir(l, to move us to biefs God who hath given us a Saviour holy and feparated from fin and (inners, Heb. 7. 26. Secondly, to hunger and thirfl after the Can &ity and pureness of Chriffs hu- mane nature, Peeing we have fo great need of it, to cover our moltunholy and defiled nature, the infe etion whereof a- lone is enough to condemn us without this remedy. Tim. What was it thatCbrift did for to being made man? Si L. He did for fin condemn fn in the flesh. T i M. What is meant hereby condemn? S I L. Not to punifh, or exa& pu nifhwent for fin, but to abolifhand takes away fin at once out of mans nature; as the word isufed, I Pet4.6.condem -, nation
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