432 REDEMPTION BY CHRIST. [SeR. II.
tlie two latter without the former will little quiet the heart of scrupu- lous men. His sufferings were great, but temporary and finite — the merit of his obedience much ; but how shall the virtue of it reach all the world ? And if he be but a mere creature, he hath done what he ought to do. I confess a fourth thing may be added — God^s institu- tion, which availeth to the end for which God hath appointed it ; but the scripture insists most on the first — the dignity of his person — which putteth a value on his sacrifice : Acts xx. 18 ; Heb. ix, 13, 14 ; at least there is an intrinsic worth. This answers all objections. His sufferings were temporary and finite ; but it is the blood of God, — he hath offered up himself through the eternal Spirit.
2. To work upon our love, that Christ may have the chief room in our hearts. There is no such argument, to work upon our love as that God over all, blessed for ever, should come to relieve man in such a condescending way : 1 John iii. 16, ' Hereby we perceive the love which God hath to us, in that he laid down his life for us : ' that very person that died for us was God. There was power discovered in the creation, when God made us like himself out of the dust of the ground ; but love in our redemption, when he made himself like us. The per- son that was to work out our deliverance was the eternal Son of God. That God that owes nothing to man, and was so much offended by man, and that stood in no need of man, having infinite happiness and contentment in himself, that he should come and die for us ! Hereby perceive we the love of God. When we consider what Christ is, we shall most admire what he hath done for us.
Thirdly, That we may give Christ his due honour ; for God will have all men to honour the Son as they honour the Father, John v. 23, he being equal in power and glory. The setting forth of his glory is a rent due to him from all creatures. We are to praise him both in word and deed, in mind, and heart, and practice, which we can never do unless we understand the dignity of his person. We are apt to have low thoughts of Christ, therefore we should often revive the considerations that may represent his worth and excellency.
Fourthly, That we may place all hope of salvation in him, and may make use of him to the ends which he came to accomplish. We can hardly consider the work of redemption but some base thoughts arise in our minds, nor entertain this mystery, with due respect to the truth, and greatness, and admirableness of it, without raising our thoughts to the consideration of the dignity of the person who is to accomplish it : Heb. iii. 1, ' Therefore, brethren, consider the Lord Jesus, the great high priest and apostle of our profession.'
Fifthly, That we may the better understand two things : —
1. The humiliation of the Son of God.
2. The way how we may recover the lost image of God.
1. The humiliation of the Son of God. Certainly, he that came to redeem us was the brightness of his Father's glory and the express image of his person. Now, how did he humble himself ? Was he not still the image of God in our nature ? Yes, but the divine glory and majesty was hidden under the veil of our flesh : little of it did appear, and that only to those who narrowly did observe him ; the brightness of his glory did not conspicuously shine forth. Was this
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all ? No ; his dignity was lessened ; there was capitis dinwiuiio, the lessening of a man's estate or condition, — as of a man degraded from the senatorian order to the degree of knight, thence to the plebeian. Thus was the eternal Son of God lessened, less than God, as mediator : John xiv. 28, ' My Father is greater than 1/ As God incarnate he took an office designed to him by God, and obeyed him in all things. They were one in essence, John x. 30 ; yet with respect to his office to save souls, he Avas lessened. Nay, not only less than God, but lesser than the angels : Heb. ii. 7, ' He was made a little lower than the angels.' Not born so, but made so. Man is inferior to an angel as a man in the rank and order of beings ; the angels die not : therefore his incarnation and liableness to death is a great lessening of his dignity ; so not in respect of office only, but human nature assumed.
2. It showeth us how the image of God may be recovered ; if we be changed into the likeness of Christ, for he is the image of God. His merit should not only be precious to us, but his example. It is a great advantage not only to have a rule but an example ; because man is so prone to imitate, that an example in our nature maketh it the more operative. His excuse is ready at hand : we are flesh and blood — what would you have us do ? Therefore Christ came incarnate to be an example of holiness. He had the interests of flesh and blood to mind as well as we ; and so would show that a holy life is possible to those that are renewed by his gi'ace. He obeyed God in our nature ; therefore in the same nature we may obey, please, and glorify God, though still in a self-denying manner. The foundation of it is laid in the new birth. The Spirit that formed Christ out of the substance of the Virgin, the same Spirit is ready to form Christ in you. He maketh new creatures ; so that there is not only Christ's example, but Christ's power.