This point alfurdcth us many useful considerations, as this decree of Gotl may be referred —
1. To Christ.
2. To the wicked.
3. To the godly.
1. To Christ. God decreed this, and Christ fulfilled it. It is a
ISA. LIII. 2.J THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 229
wonder to see how all things did conspire to make Christ conform in every thing to God's counsel concerning liim. As, for instance, in Augustus his decree, which caused Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem, where she Avas delivered. It would he too long to give you the history of the gospel. Many providences did meet, that all things whatever God had decreed might come to pass. Admire therefore the manifold wisdom of God in contriving these things.
2. In respect of the wicked. God appointed this meanness of Christ before them. Before them he shall rise up. God punisheth sin by occasions of sin. God may be said to harden sinners three ways : — (1.) By leaving them to themselves, as it is said, he left the Gentiles to their own ways, Acts xiv. 16 ; (2.) By permitting them to enter into them ; (3.) By presenting to them such objects from whence their corruption taketh occasion to sin, though they were things good in themselves ; as Jer. vi. 21, ' I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people.' The Jews argue that Christ is not the Messiah, because he did not come in such a way as to satisfy all his countrymen. God would have Christ mean that all might not believe in him, though not to cause sin, but to pro- mote his just judgments. So God's cause and Christ's ways have diffi- culty enough in them to harden them. God pursueth his secret judg- ments upon them. Admire, therefore, and fear God's judgments on the wicked. It was by the special appointment of God that it was so mean.
3. For the godly. God appointed all the meanness of Christ for their sakes, for whom it is a double comfort.
[1.] From the eternity of God's thoughts towards them. Christ from before all worlds was appointed to be a captain of salvation through many sufferings, and to undergo many hardships for your sakes. This length of love is a great refreshment to the spirit ; and when the soul reflects upon the meanness of Christ as the effect of God's eternal thoughts of mercy to it, it is the more encouragement to believe. ' Christ verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for you.' He would have them established in that as a sure truth.
[2.] It is a comfort to them in their meanness ; it is that which is ap- pointed. They shall be conformable to their Head in this respect. They shall undergo no condition but what God from all eternity had decreed for them : Col. i. 24 ; Paul and all the godly are said to fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ in their flesh. The church and Christ make but one body ; that which they suffer, he suffers ; that which he sufiPereth, they suffer. The sufferings of the godly are ap- pointed as well as Christ's meanness.
I now proceed to the third observation, namely : —
Doct. 3. That this meanness of Christ was willingly taken up by him both in liis birth and life and manner of appearing among men.
1. In his birth.
[1.] For the time of it. It was when the royal stock of David was quite extinct, and even come so low that Joseph was but a carpenter by profession. ' Is not this the carpenter's son ?' And therefore is the genealogy of Joseph and Mary so carefully sought out by the evange- list, because it was not commonly and publicly known that they were
230 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [ISA. LIIT. 2.
of that lineapje. Tlie throne of David was occupied by Herod, who was ail Ascalonite ; he was 'Ettl (f)6poc<i Terar/^evo<;, rather an observer of the tribute than a king.
[2.] The phice, Bethlehem, a small place, not able to make up one division in Israel, the least of the thousands of Judah. A man would have thought he should have been born in some great city, as Rome or Jerusalem. No ; but he chose to be born in Bethlehem, and sufiered at Jerusalem : he had the least place to be born, but the greatest to suffer in. And then again, he was not born in any stately room at Bethlehem, but in a stable, nay, in a manger in the stable. Christ would have all mean at his birth.
[3.] Consider how in everything he was found in shape like another child, being circumcised the eighth day. He submitted to the law as soon as he was born into the world, to teach his followers obe- dience.
[4.] Consider the oblation that was made for him, such as was made for poor people — a pair of turtle-doves and two young pigeons, the l)oor's offering. Those that were not able to bring a lamb were to bring two turtles and two young pigeons, and that was accepted for an atonement. Thus much for his birth : yet we may observe there was something divine still mingled with Christ's outward meanness, as the appearing of the star, the trouble of the Jews, the wise men's report and offerings. By these things God would leave them without excuse, and under this poverty discover some glimpses of the deity.