[2.] That in the same nature he might suffer the penalty and curse of the law, as well as fulfil the duty of it : and so make satisfaction for our sins, whicli, as God, he could not do. We read ' He was made a curse for us : ' Gal. iii. 13 ; and Phil. iii. 8, he was ' obedient to the death, even the death of the cross.' Death was threatened, and a curse denounced against those that obeyed not the law ; and we being guilty of sin, could by no means avoid this death ; therefore Christ came in the sinner's room to suffer death, and 'bear the curse' for us, to free us 'from the law of sin and death,' and .by this means the justice of God is eminently demonstrated, the lawgiver vindicated, and the breach that was made in the frame of government repaired, and God manifested, to be holy, and a hater of sin, and yet the sinner saved from destruction.
[3.] That he might cross and counterwork Satan's design ; which was double : First, To dishonour God by a false representation, as if he were envious of man's happiness : Gen. iii. 5. ' God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be open, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good or evil;' that is, sufficient to themselves without his direction. Satan's aim was to weaken the esteem of God's goodness in our hearts. Now when Christ will take flesh, and dwell among us, do whatsoever is necessary for our restoration and recovery, his good- ness is wonderfully magnified, and he is represented as amiable to man, not envying our knowledge and happiness, but promoting it at the dearest rates. That God should be made man, and die for sinners, is the highest demonstration of his goodness that can be given us : 1 John iv. 9, ' In this was the love of God manifested towards us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live by him.'
VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 425
What greater proof can we liave that God is not envions, but loving, yea, love itself ? Secondly, Satan's other design was to depress the nature of man, who in innocency stood so near unto God, that falling off from our duty we might fall also from that firmament of glory Avherein God at our creation had placed us, and upon the breach there might be a great distance between us and God. Now, that human nature so depressed and abased by the malicious suggestion of the devil, should be so elevated and advanced, and set far above the angelical nature, and admitted to dwell with God in a personal union. Oh ! how is the design of the devil defeated . The great intent of this mystery, ' God manifested in the flesh,' was to make way for a nearness between God and us. Christ condescended to be nigh to us by taking human nature into the unity of his person, that we might be nigh unto God ; not only draw nigh unto him now in the evangelical estate, but be everlast- ingly nigh unto him in heavenly glory. When we first enter into the gospel-state, we that were afar off, are said to be ' made nigh in Christ,' Eph. ii. 13 ; but this is but a preparation for a closer communion, con- junction, and nearness to God, when we shall be ever with the Lord, 1 Thes. iv. 17.
[4.] To give us a pledge of the tenderness of his love and compassion towards us. For he that is our kinsman, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh, will he be strange to his own flesh ? especially, since he is not so by necessity of nature, but by voluntary choice and assumption. We could not have such confident and familiar discourse with one who is of another and different nature from us ; nor put our suits into his hands with such trust and assurance : it is a motive to man, ' Thou shalt not hide thyself from thine own flesh,' Isa. Iviii, 7. A beggar is our own flesh ; men in pride and disdain will not own it, and shut up their bowels against them ; but Christ had our nature in perfection. This made Laban, though otherwise a churlish man, kind to Jacob : Gen. xxix. 14, ' Surely thou art bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.' But this is not all ; Christ assumed human nature, that he might experiment infirmities in his own person ; and his heart be more endeared towards us : Heb. ii. 17, 18, ' In all things it behoved him to be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, in making reconciliation for the sins of the people ; for in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.' We have more assurance that he will pity us who is not a stranger to our blood, and hath had trial of our nature, and our miseries and tempta- tions. He knoweth the heart of an afiiicted, tempted man, and will mind our business as his own.
[5.] Christ by taking our flesh is become a pattern to us of what shall be done both in us and by us.