Docf. The greatest manifestation of God's love to the sons of men is the giving his onl3'-begotten Son to be their Redeemer and Saviour.
There is a twofold giving of Christ : —
1. He is given /or us.
2. He is given to us.
1. He was given for us when he was sent into the world to be- come bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, and to die for our sins. This is spoken of, Rom. viii. 32, ' God spared not his Son, but delivered him up for us all.'
2. He is given to us, when we have a special interest in him, and a participation of his benefits : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' Christ Jesus is made of God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.'
He is given for us, as he took our nature ; he is given to us, as he dwelleth in our hearts by faith. He is given for us, as he undertook the work of our redemiition ; he is given to us, as he accomplisheth and brings about our conversion to God, and apjjlying to us the benefits of his purchase. I shall speak of both.
_ I. As he is given for us, it mightily bespeakcth the love of God, and his care of our salvation. In creation, God made us after his own image and likeness ; in redemption, his Son came in the similitude and likeness of sinful flesh. In creation, the angels were dignified above us, but not in redemption, Heb. ii. IG. He did not redeem the apostate angels. In short, tliis was the most convenient way for God to bring about tlie purposes of his grace towards man, for these reasons : — 1. That our laith might be more certain, by the appearing of the
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Son of God in our nature, by his dying, rising again from tlie dead, and ascending into heaven, and so giving a sensible proof of our whole religion.
[i.] By appearing in human nature he had opportunity of con- versing with men, to convince them of the gracious will of God, and teach them obedience to him, not only by his doctrine, but his example, and securing the truth of both by the many miracles which he wrought in the days of his flesh : John vi. 27, ' Him hath the Father sealed;' that is, owned, acknowledged, demonstrated, that whatever he did or said was the will and good pleasure of God.
[2.] By his dying he satisfied the justice of God, and so maketh a way for the course of his mercy to us, that we might obtain release and pardon of all our sins and transgressions against the law of God : Kom. iii. 2.5, 26, ' Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, for the remis- sion oi sins'that are past, through the forbearance of God,' &c.
[3.] His rising again from the dead was a visible satisfaction to the world that his sacrifice was accepted : Rom. iv. 25, * Who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification.' The unbe- lieving world by that supreme act of power have no reason to stand out against his faith and doctrine.
[4.] By his ascending into heaven, the truth of eternal life was more confirmed, for thereby he gave us a real demonstration of that glory which he spoke of and promised to his disciples and followers : 1 Peter i. 21, ' God raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.' He himself is entered into that hap- piness, and we shall follow him.
2. That our hope might be more strong and lively, being built upon the example of Christ and his promises to us. The example of Christ is of great support to us in all our troubles, for if we fare as he fared in this world, we shall fare as he fareth in the world to come. Therefore we are said to be ' begotten to a lively hope by the resurrec- tion of Jesus Christ from the dead,' 1 Peter i. 3 ; that is, have a ground of hope and cheerful assurance, as he by his sufferings came to his reward and crown, so shall we obtain the matter of his promises : 1 John ii. 25, * And this is the promise which he hath promised, even eternal life;' John xii. 26, 'If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be : if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.'
3. That our love to God may be more fervent. If God had saved us some other way, the salvation had been something less ; for accord- ing to the degrees of the gift, so is our obligation. Now God would oblige us at the highest rate, and therefore he gave his only- begotten Son to die for us. It is said, he ' spared not his own Son,' Eom. viii. 32. There is a twofold not sparing — either in a way of impartial justice, or in a way of transcendent bounty ; the last is chiefly intended in that place, though the other is not altogether excluded. He delivered him up to die for our sakes. Now surely this should gain much upon us, when God thought nothing too good to part with for our salvation.