The way alone whereby this manifestation may be made, is by outward acts and effects. For, in itself, the divine nature is hid from all living, and dwelleth in that light whereunto no creature can approach. This, therefore, God first made, by the creation of all things out of nothing. The creation of man himself — with the prin- ciples of a rational, intelligent nature, a conscience attesting his sub- ordmation unto God — and the creation of all other things, declaring the gloiy of his wisdom, goodness, and power, was the immediate gTound of aU natural religion, and yet continues so to be. And the glory of it answers the means and ways of the manifestation of the Divine Being, existence, excellencies, and properties. And where this manifestation is despised or neglected, there God himself is so ; as the apostle discourseth at large, Rom. i. 18-22.
But of all the effects of the divine excellencies, the constitution of the person of Christ as the foundation of the new creation, as " the Mystery of Godliness," was the most ineffable and glorious. I speak not of his divine person absolutely ; for his distinct personality and subsistence was by an internal and eternal act of the Divine Being in the person of the Father, or eternal generation — which is essen- tial unto the divine essence — whereby nothing anew was outwardly wrought or did exist. He was not, he is not, in that sense, the effect of the divine wisdom and power of God, but the essential wisdom and power of God himself But we speak of him only as incarnate, as he assumed our nature into personal subsistence with himself His conception in the womb of the Virgin, as unto the integrity of human nature, was a miraculous operation of the divine power. But the prevention of that nature from any subsistence of its own — by its assumption into personal union with the Son of God, in the first instance of its conception — is that which is above all miracles, nor can be designed by that name. A mystery it is, so far above the
46 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
order of all creating or providential operations, that it wholly trans- cends the sphere of them that are most miraculous. Herein did God glorify all the properties of the divine nature, acting in a way of infinite wisdom, grace, and condescension. The depths of the mys- tery hereof are open only unto him whose understanding is infinite, which no created understanding can comprehend. All other things were produced and effected by an outward emanation of power from God. He said, " Let there be light, and there was light." But this assumption of our nature into hypostatical union with the Son of God, this constitution of one and the same individual person in two natures so infinitely distinct as those of God and man — whereby the Eternal was made in time, the Infinite became finite, the Immortal mortal, yet continuing eternal, infinite, immortal — is that singular expression of divine wisdom, goodness, and power, wherein God will be admired and glorified unto all eternity. Herein was that change introduced into the whole first creation, whereby the blessed angels were exalted, Satan and his works rained, mankind recovered from a dismal apostasy, all things made new, all things in heaven and earth reconciled and gathered into one Head, and a revenue of eternal glory raised unto God, incomparably above what the first constitution of all things in the order of nature could yield unto him. In the expression of this mystery, the Scripture doth sometimes draw the veil over it, as that which we cannot look into. So, in his conception of the Virgin, with respect unto this union which accom- panied it, it was told her, that " the power of the Highest should overshadow her:" Luke i. 35. A work it was of the power of the Most High, but hid from the eyes of men in the nature of it; and, therefore, that holy thing which had no subsistence of its own, which should be bom of her, should '"' be called the Son of God," becoming one person with him. Sometimes it expresseth the greatness of the mystery, and leaves it as an object of our admiration, 1 Tim, iii. 16: "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh," A mystery it is, and that of those dimensions as no creature can comprehend. Sometimes it putteth things together, as that the distance of the two natures shall illustrate the glory of the one person, John i. 14: " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." But what Word was this? That which was in the beginning, which was with God, which was God, by whom all things were made, and without whom was not any thing made that was made ; who was light and life. This Word was made flesh, not by any change of his own nature or essence, not by a transubstantiation of the divine nature into the human, not by ceasing to be what he was, but by becoming what he was not, in taking our nature to his o^vn, to be his own, whereby he dwelt
CHRIST THE WONDERFUL. 47
among us. This glorious Word, which is God, and described by his eternity and omnipotency in works of creation and providence, " was made flesh," — which expresseth the lowest state and condition of human nature. Without controversy, great is this mystery of godli- ness ! And in that state wherein he visibly appeared as so made flesh, those who had eyes given them from above, saw " his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father." The eternal Word being made flesh, and manifested therein, they saw his gioiy, the glory of the only-begotten of the Father. What heart can conceive, what tongue can express, the least part of the glory of this divine wisdom and gxace ? So also is it proposed unto us, Isa. ix. 6 : " Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the govern- ment shall be upon his shoulder : and his name shall be called Won- derhd. Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." He is called, in the first place, Wonderful. And that deservedly: Prov. xxx. 4. That the mighty God should be a child born, and the everlasting Father a son given unto us, may well entitle him unto the name of Wonderful.