Of INSTRUCTION.
Use one: Of INSTRUCTION.
(1.) See here, as in a glass, the infinite love of God the Father ; that when we had lost ourselves by sin, God, in the riches of his grace, sent forth his Son, made of a woman, to redeem us! And behold the infinite love of Christ, in that he was willing thus to condescend to take our flesh! Surely the angels would have disdained to have taken our flesh; it would have been a disparagement to them. What king would be willing to wear sackcloth over his cloth of gold? But Christ did not disdain to take our flesh. Oh the love of Christ! Had not Christ been made flesh we would have been made a curse! Had he not been incarnate, we would have been incarcerate, and had been forever in the prison of hell. Well might an angel be the herald to proclaim this joyful news of Christ's incarnation: "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David!" The love of Christ, in being incarcerated, will the more appear if we consider
(1:) Considerwhere Christ came from. He came from heaven, and from the richest place in heaven, his Father's bosom, that hive of sweetness.
(2:) Consider forwhom Christ came. Was it to his friends? No! He came for sinful man! Man who had defaced his image, and abused his love; man who was turned rebel! Yet he came to man, resolving to conquer our obstinacy with his kindness . If he would come to any, why not to the angels which fell? "He took not on him the nature of angels." Heb 2:16. The angels are of a more noble origin, more intelligent creatures, more able for service! But behold the love of Christ he did not come to the fallen angels but to sinful mankind! Among the several wonders of the magnet , is that it will not draw gold or pearl but despising these, it draws the iron to it, one of the most inferior metals. Just so, Christ leaves angels, those noble spirits, the gold and the pearl and comes to poor sinful man, and draws him into his embraces!
(3:) Consider in whatmanner he came. He came not in the majesty of a king, attended with his royal retinue but he came poor; not like the heir of heaven but like one of an inferior descent. Consider theplace he was born in, was poor; not the royal city Jerusalem but Bethlehem, a poor obscure place. A feeding trough was his cradle, the cobwebs were his curtains, the beasts were his companions; he descended of poor parents. One would have thought, if Christ would have come into the world, he would have made choice of some queen or personage of honor to have descended from; but he comes of lowly obscure parents, for that they were poor appears by their offering. "A pair of turtle-doves," which was the usual offering of the poor. Lev 12:8. Christ was so poor, that when he needed money, he had to work a miracle to obtain it. Matt 17:27. When he died he made no will. He came into the world poor.
(4:) Considerwhy he came. That he might take our flesh, and redeem us; that he might instate us into a kingdom. He was poor that he might make us rich. 2 Cor 8:8. He was born of a virgin that we might be born of God. He took our flesh that he might give us his Spirit. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven that he might bring us to heaven. And what was all this but love? If our hearts are not rocks, this love of Christ should affect us. Behold love which passes knowledge! "May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it!" Ephesians 3:19
(2.) See here the astonishing humility of Christ. Christ was made flesh. That Christ should clothe himself with our flesh a piece of that earth which we tread upon oh infinite humility! Christ's taking our flesh was one of the lowest steps of his humiliation. He humbled himself more in lying in the virgin's womb than in hanging upon the cross. It was not so much for man to die but for God to become man was the wonder of humility. "He was made in the likeness of men." For Christ to be made flesh, was more humility than for the angels to be made worms. Christ's flesh is called a veil, "Through the veil," that is, his flesh. Christ's wearing our flesh veiled his glory. For him to be made flesh, who was equal with God oh what humility! "Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God." He stood upon even ground with the Father, he was co-essential and con-substantial with his Father yet for all that, he takes flesh. He stripped himself of the robes of his glory, and covered himself with the rags of our humanity.
If Solomon wondered that God should dwell in the temple which was enriched and hung with gold how may we wonder that God should dwell in man's weak and frail nature! Nay, which is yet more humility, Christ not only took our flesh but took it when it was at the worst, under disgrace; as if a servant should wear a nobleman's livery when he is impeached of high treason.
Besides all this he took all theinfirmities of our flesh. There are two sorts of infirmities; such as are sinful infirmities without pain; and such as are painful infirmities without sin. These sinful infirmities (such as to be covetous or ambitious) Christ did not take upon him. But he took upon him painful infirmities, such as
(1.)Hunger . He came to the fig-tree and was hungry. Matt 21:18, 19.
(2:)Weariness , as when he sat on Jacob's well to rest. John 4:6.
(3:)Sorrow . "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." Matt 26:38. It was a sorrow guided with reason not disturbed with passion.
(4:)Fear . "He was heard in that he feared." Heb 5:7. A further degree of Christ's humility was, that he not only was made flesh but in the likeness of sinful flesh . "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us!" 2 Corinthians 5:21. He was like a sinner; he had all sin laid upon him but no sin lived in him. "He was numbered among transgressors." Isa 53:12. He who was numbered among the persons of the Trinity, is said "to bear the sins of many." Heb 9:28. Now, this was the lowest degree of Christ's humiliation; for Christ to be reputed as a sinner, was the greatest pattern of humility. That Christ, who would not endure sin in the angels, should himself endure to have sin imputed to him, is the most amazing humility that ever was! From all this, learn to be humble. Do you see Christ humbling himself, and are you proud? It is the humble saint, who is Christ's picture. Christians, do not be proud of your fine feathers. Have you anestate ? Do not be proud. The earth you tread on, is richer than you. It has mines of gold and silver in its depths. Have youbeauty ? Do not be proud. It is but air mingled with dirt. Have youskill andabilities ? Be humble. Lucifer has more knowledge than you. Have yougrace ? Be humble. It is not of your own making it was given to you by God. Would it not folly, to be proud of a ring that is merely lent to you? "What makes you better than anyone else? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?" 1 Corinthians 4:7. You have more sin than grace, more spots than beauty. Oh look on Christ, this rare pattern of humility and be humbled! It is a sad sight, to see God humbling himself and man exalting himself; to see a humble Savior and a proud sinner. God hates the very semblance of pride! God would have no honey in the sacrifice. Lev 2:11. Indeed, leaven is sour; but why no honey? Because, when honey is mingled with meal or flour, it makes the meal to rise and swell; therefore no honey. God hates the resemblance of the sin of pride! "I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13. It is better to lack abilities than humility. "If God," says Augustine, 'spared not the angels, when they grew proud, will he spare you, who are but dust and rottenness?"
(3.) Behold here a sacred riddle or paradox "God manifest in the flesh." That man should be made in God's image was a wonder but that God should be made in man's image is a greater wonder. That the Ancient of Days should be born, that he who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle; that he who rules the stars should suck the breast; that a virgin should conceive; that Christ should be made of a woman, and of that woman which he himself made; that the branch should bear the vine; that the mother should be younger than the child she bore, and the child in the womb bigger than the mother; that the human nature should not be God yet one with God; this is the most astonishing miracle! Christ taking flesh is a mystery we shall never fully understand until we come to heaven, when our light shall be clear, as well as our love perfect.
(4.) From hence, "God manifest in the flesh," Christ born of a virgin, a thing not only strange in nature but impossible, learn That there are no impossibilities with God. God can bring about things which are impossible; as that iron should swim, that the rock should gush out water, and that the fire should lick up the water in the trenches. I Kings 18:38. It is natural for water to quench fire but for fire to consume water is impossible in the course of nature; but God can bring about all this. "There is nothing too hard for you." "This is what the Lord Almighty says All this may seem impossible to you. But do you think this is impossible for me, the Lord Almighty?" Zech 8:6.
How should God be united to our flesh ? It is impossible to us but not with God; he can do what transcends reason, and exceeds faith. He would not be our God if he could not do more than we can think. Eph 3:20. He can reconcile contraries. How apt are we to be discouraged with seeming impossibilities! How do our hearts die within us when things go contrary to sense and reason! We are apt to say as that prince in 2 Kings 7:1-2, "Even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" It was a time of famine so how could a bushel of wheat be sold for such a cheap price how can this be? So, when things are contrary, or strange, God's own people are apt to question how they could be brought about with success? Moses , who was a man of God, and one of the brightest stars which ever shone in the skies of God's church, was apt to be discouraged with seeming impossibilities. "But Moses said There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you promise them meat for a whole month! Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?" Numbers 11:21-22. As if he had said, in plain language, he did not see how the people of Israel, being so numerous, could be fed for a month. "Then the Lord said to Moses Is there any limit to my power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!" Verse 23. That God who brought Isaac out of a dead womb, and the Messiah out of a virgin's womb what can he not do? Oh let us rest upon the arm of God's power, and believe in him, in the midst of seeming impossibilities! Remember, there are no impossibilities with God! He can subdue a proud heart. He can raise a dying church. Christ born of a virgin! The wonder-working God who wrought this, can bring to pass the greatest seeming impossibility.
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