I should have insisted upon the consequences of it, — for neither of his natures is changed, — and how the divine nature was concealed and veiled hereby ; but these must be waived at present. 3. I shall speak to the use of it, and so conclude: — The use should be, to raise up our hearts into the admiration of the great condescension of Christ in thus humbling and emptying hi in- self for our sakes. But I cannot enlarge upon this. The prophet tells us, Isa. viii. 14 (which is a prophecy of Christ), "And ho shall be for a sanctuary ; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel; for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." Peter expounds this place, 1 Epist. ii. 0-8. He .shall be "a sanctuary" unto them who believe, to them who are oppiv>M-d ; but " a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to them which
568 THE HUMILIATION AND CONDESCENSION OF CHRIST.
stumble at the word." Both these is our Lord Jesus Christ in a peculiar mariner, by this self-emptying, by this self-humiliation ; he is " a sanctuary/' and he is " a stone of stumbling/' Herein Christ is principally a sanctuary unto them who do believe. What do men look for in a sanctuary? Freedom from danger, deliverance out of trouble, and a supply of all their wants. All these are proposed in this self-humiliation of Jesus Christ, if we could by faith make him our sanctuary, — if we could by faith, as we ought, go unto him for relief. If we go unto any one for relief, we question but two things, • — his will and his power. If he be willing and if he be able, you have no ground to question but you shall have relief. I know how it is with us all. We have all wants, we have all temptations, we have all fears, we have all inward conflicts and perplexities, more or less ; and we all secretly groan to be delivered from all these things. Groaning is the best of our spiritual life, — to live in continual groan ing. Oh, that we may do so every morning and every evening ! that there may be nothing but God and Christ in our souls, all clear and serene, and all our minds spiritual and heavenly! Where shall we betake ourselves, then, for relief in all cases? If any one have will and power to relieve us, oh, that he would come in to our relief and help ; thither would we go ! But here is the loss of our souls and peace, here is that which keeps us at such a poor, low rate, and makes us scramble for the world, — because we neglect going unto Christ for relief in all our wants. How few of us live in the exercise of faith for this purpose ! ' But will he relieve me ? ' Why, he hath humbled, emptied himself, and laid aside his glory, for this very end, that he might relieve us. For my own part, I do verily believe that all coming short of all gospel joy, strength, and power, is for want of due application unto Jesus Christ for relief. The not believing of his willingness shall be the condemnation of the world for their in gratitude. "Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life/' 'Oh, who would have thought that he would have received us?' Why, can I give you greater encouragement than I do? He still retains his omnipotent power; he is still "in the form of God/' The holy God help us to live more in the exercise of faith on him, that we may have more comfort in our lives !
But herein Christ is also " a stumbling-block and a rock of offence " unto the rest of the world. This they stumbled at of old, and this is that which the world continues yet to do. Some asserted Jesus Christ only to be a prophet come out from God. This the Moham medans will all comply with; and the Jews were well enough con tent that John the Baptist should be a prophet, but Christ should be none, because he made himself equal unto God. There they stumbled and fell. And at this day great offence is taken in the
ENOCH'S WALK WITH GOD. 5G9
world at this divine person of Christ and his self-humiliation. The truth is, " All flesh hath corrupted his way/' All the world begins to grow weary of the religion which they profess, and to question whether there be any thing of supernatural revelation. God gave us a natural religion at first; we lost it; and God raised it by super natural revelation, which continued till the coming of Christ. Then he put an end unto all supernatural revelation. Then the devil was at a loss, and he raised a scandal upon supernatural revelation. The world is grown weary of it, and would return unto a natural religion, having lost the power of all supernatural revelation. It makes way for atheism. They believe nothing the Scripture expresses of gospel mysteries; and this makes way for the disbelief of the Trinity and incarnation of the Son of God. They follow the conduct of men in fluencing them unto their own secular advantage. But let us hold this fast, because the world grows weary of it. Let this corner-stone be laid hold of by us for a foundation, and it will prove our life and safety.