2. Now for his life and manner of appearance in the world. He was altogetlier found in fashion as a man, as the apostle saith ; that is, to outward appearance just as other men, for his growth was as other men's, by degrees : ' And Jesus increased in wisdom and sta- ture, and in favour with God and man.' Though he had a most perfect divine soul given him at first, yet as he grew in stature he exercised and discovered the vigour of his faculties, which is there called increasing in knowledge, showing forth in his several ages more degrees of knowledge, that in all things he might conform to us. It w^ould be too large for me to insist upon everything, therefore briefly take it thus: — His life was spent in much toil and labour, going to and fro ; nay, and probably too, in mean labour, in his father's trade : Mark vi. 3, ' Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary ? ' Not only the carpenter's son, but the carpenter. In his younger time he exer- cised that trade, as Justin Martyr, a most ancient historian, writes: he made yokes and ploughs. And when he put himself upon the way and duty of his ministry, he was in much want and penury ; he was an hungry. Mat. iv. 2; thirsty, John iv. G; without house and home: Mat. viii. 20, ' Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.' Yea, so poor was he, that lie had not wherewith to pay his poll- money for his head to the liomans, Mat. xvii. 27 ; therefore I'eter is fain to go to the sea and catch a lish. I will not toucli upon tho.se that especially take in his suffering, that will fall in the next verse ; only take notice how he w^as hunted up and down by the pharisees, how he was scorned and derided by them, so far as it reflects upon his weakness, as Luke xvi. 14, i^eavKn'jpL^ov, — they blew their uote at him in great scorn, as the word may be ren-
ISA. LIII. 2.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 231
dercd. Nay, when he would sliow any royalty, and come as a king to tSion, he came riding upon the foal of an ass, Mat. xxi. 5. Use 1. Oh, then be exhorted —
1. To admire tlie love of God, that he should stoop to such a low condition for your sakes. Here is a large field for meditation ; ex- patiate your thoughts, then, and trace Chi'ist in all the history of his life, from the cradle to the grave, from the stable to Golgotha, and see what a mean and contemptible life he led.
2. Faithfully apply it, and say. All this was done for my good. The scriptures do not only take notice of Christ's luimiliation, but of the very end of it. Most read the history of Christ as a man would do a romance, to be a little affected with it for a time ; they take notice what is done, but not why ; there is not that faithful appropriation : Gal. iv. 4, 5, ' When the fulness of time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem us that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of ons.' Mark the end, and say, This was done for me ; for us is too general. Why was Christ so mean ? It was that I might be rich : 2 Cor. viii. 9, ' For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be I'ich ;' rich in grace, and rich in comfort. nToj-)(o<;, the word signifieth he became a beggar, not that he did beg, but he lived in continual need of a supply, and would sometimes put forth some glimpses of his divinity to command his welcome : Luke xix. 5, ' Zaccheus, make baste and come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house.' Yet I say, Christ put himself upon this meanness for our sakes. Sjjeciosus 'prce filiis liominum, ohscuratur pro JiUis liommum, saith Bernard. It is for our sakes that he who is altogether lovely in himself had no form, that we might be made lovely and beautiful ; he was without comeliness, that his church might be comely, without spot or wrinkle, as the apostle speaketh, Eph. v. 27. He was besmeared with blood, that the church might be without spot. It is good to observe that Christ's meanness was not only in judgment, for a stumbling-block to the wicked, but in mercy to the godly. If he had discovered his deity at first, he had never suffered, and then the work of our redemption had stood still. It is a good observation of St Austin, quoted by Aquinas, Dum omnia mirabilUei' fecit, auferret quod misericorditer fecit — if he had done all things wonderfully, he had done nothing mercifully. Christ's meanness, as it is a great mercy to mankind, see that it be so to you.
Use 2. Is information. It informeth us, then : —