all their advantages, were as far from God and righteousness as the heathen themselves f.
The interposition of the Deity had also been displayed in a visible series of mercies and judgments, correspondent to the moral conduct of his people. Not only had thousands and tens of thousands been struck dead at a time for some great offence, but even the whole nation were sent into a miserable captivity for seventy years. On the other hand, their resto- ration from captivity had been so miraculous, as evidently to bear the stamp of Omnipotence upon it. These things did lead the Jews to renounce idolatry: but how far they prevailed to introduce general habits of piety and virtue, may be seen in the awful unanimity which obtained among them in rejecting and crucifying the Son of God.
No fitter time therefore could have been chosen for the sending of this last remedy, than when all other remedies had been fully tried, and their inefficacy had incontrovertibly appeared.]
The next thing to be noticed respecting the incar- nation of Christ, is,
II. The manner —
Though Christ was God equal with the Father, yet in his mediatorial capacity he acted as the Father's Messenger or Servant. The Father sent his Son,
1. " Made of a woman" —
[This expression would have been superfluous if applied to any mere man ; but, as applied to the Lord Jesus, it is peculiarly important. Our adorable Saviour was not born like other men ; but was formed in the womb of a pure virgin by the operation of the Holy Ghost: and this was necessary on many accounts.
If Christ had been born in the ordinary way of generation, he would have been comprehended in Adam's natural pos- terity, and would therefore have been involved in the same curse as all others are on account of the first transgression : for " in Adam all died ;" and " through his disobedience many were made sinners," even all who were represented by him as their covenant-head. Moreover, he would have been corrupt, as all others are ; for " who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" But, not deriving his existence from man, he could not be ranked among the sons of Adam ; and, being formed by the immediate agency of the Holy Ghost, he was perfectly immaculate.
f Rom. ii. 17—29.