Person of the ever-blessed Trinity, but officially, as man and as Mediator. Personally he needed nothing, nor could do any thing, to augment the Father's love : for " He and the Father are one," in glory equal, and in majesty co-eternal. But in his office he greatly commended himself to the Father's love:
1. In undertaking it so willingly —
[The first intimation of the Father's wish for the redemp- tion of the world was, as we have seen, assented to by the Son, without the slightest hesitation, notwithstanding the means, by which it was to be accomplished, were so difficult and self- denying. To divest himself of all his glory, to assume the nature that had sinned, to bear in his own person the wrath due to our sins, and to " become a curse for us, in order to redeem us from the curse of God's broken laws," all this he willingly undertook ; because he saw, that, whilst by this mysterious act of condescension he should save our ruined race, he should glorify his God and Father, in a way, and to an extent, in which he never otherwise could be glorified. God had shewn forth his wisdom and power and goodness in the works of creation', and he had manifested his justice and holi- ness in the condemnation of the fallen angels : but never had he exhibited any trace of mercy, any more than if it had not been an attribute of his nature, or a perfection which it was possible for a holy and just Being to display. But, by under- taking to die in our place and stead, he has satisfied the demands of justice ; and, by working out a righteousness for us, he has rendered our acceptance with God compatible with the rights of holiness ; and has thus opened a way for the exercise of mercy, not only in perfect consistency with all the other attributes of the Deity, but to the more glorious display of all ; thus glorifying justice in a way of mercy, and mercy in a way of justice; or, as the Psalmist expresses it, causing " mercy and truth to meet together, and righteousness and peace to kiss each other1." This could not but be pleasing to the Father ; and, consequently, well might " the Father love him on account of it."]
2. In executing it so completely —
[Never did the Lord Jesus Christ draw back, till he could say " It is finished." By what he did and suffered for us, all the eternal counsels of the Father were fulfilled, and every thing was effected that could conduce either to the honour of God or the good of man. There was nothing left for either
s Gal. Hi. 13. l Ps. lxxxv. 10.