Fellow should become a man ; that He should submit to this degradation, yea, moreover should endure the accursed death of the cross, for the purpose of reconciling us to his offended Father, and of " gathering together into one body all things both in heaven and on earth e ? " Who, I ask, would have ever thought of forming a church in such a way, and of saving man by such means ? The whole plan bears the stamp and cha- racter of a divine origin, according to what is said by the Apostle, " By grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God f."]
2. Wisely framed — :
[The ark, it must be confessed, did not accord with those principles of navigation which obtain amongst us : it was de- fective in some of the most essential points : it had no mast, no sails, no rudder. But it was so constructed as to convince all who were saved in it, that their salvation was of God alone, and that to him alone was all the glory due. At the same time it was so formed, that every creature in it found ample accommodation.
The Church too is constituted far otherwise than human wisdom would have framed it. Man would have left room for the display of his own skill, and for the establishment of his own righteousness. He would not have chosen to stand in- debted wholly to the righteousness of another: that is too offensive to his natural pride : it is " to the Jews a stumbling- block, and to the Greeks foolishness g." To have no sails or rudder left for him to manage, would be disgusting ; because it would necessitate him to feel his entire dependence on God, and to acknowledge, that " it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy h." Yet in all these things God's wisdom is displayed. This way of sal- vation is justly called, " the wisdom of God, and the power of God'." It cuts off all possible occasion for boasting k, and compels us to say, " Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise." At the same time it is the most suitable that can possibly be imagined. "While the moral and discreet are constrained to seek refuge in Christ, the vilest prodigal is not left to despair of mercy : he may enter in at the same door with others, and participate the salvation which God has provided for him.]
3. Richly furnished —
e Eph. i. 10.
f Eph. ii. 8. Tovto, it should seem, refers rather to the sentiment expressed, than to tt'iutiq, which is of the feminine gender. b 1 Cor. i. 23. •' Rom. ix. 16. M Cor. i. 24.
k Rom. iii. 27.