(Edwards, Excellency of Christ. part 2)
B) This admirable conjunction of excellencies appears in the
acts and various passages of Christ's life.
Though Christ dwelt in mean outward circumstances, whereby his
condescension and humility especially appeared, and his majesty was
veiled; yet his divine divinity and glory did in many of his acts
shine through the veil, and it illustriously appeared, that he was
not only the Son of man, but the great God.
Thus, in the circumstances of his infancy, his outward meanness
appeared; yet there was something then to show forth his divine
dignity, in the wise men's being stirred up to come from the east to
give honor to him their being led by a miraculous star, and coming
and falling down and worshipping him, and presenting him with gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. His humility and meekness wonderfully
appeared in his subjection to his mother and reputed father when he
was a child. Herein he appeared as a lamb. But his divine glory
broke forth and shone when, at twelve years old, he disputed with
doctors in the temple. In that he appeared, in some measure, as the
Lion of the tribe of Judah.
And so, after he entered on his public ministry, his marvellous
humility and meekness was manifested in his choosing to appear in
such mean outward circumstances; and in being contented in them,
when he was so poor that he had not where to lay his head, and
depended on the charity of some of his followers for his
subsistence, as appears by Luke 8. at the beginning. How meek,
condescending, and familiar his treatment of his disciples; his
discourses with them, treating them as a father his children, yea,
as friends and companions. How patient, bearing such affliction and
reproach, and so many injuries from the scribes and Pharisees, and
others. In these things he appeared as a Lamb.
And yet he at the same time did in many ways show forth his
divine majesty and glory, particularly in the miracles he wrought,
which were evidently divine works, and manifested omnipotent power,
and so declared him to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His
wonderful and miraculous works plainly showed him to be the God of
nature; in that it appeared by them that he had all nature in his
hands, and could lay an arrest upon it, and stop and change its
course as he pleased. In healing the sick, and opening the eyes of
the blind, and unstopping the ears of the deaf, and healing the
lame, he showed that he was the God that framed the eye, and created
the ear, and was the author of the frame of man's body. By the
dead's rising at his command, it appeared that he was the author and
fountain of life, and that "God the Lord, to whom belong the issues
from death." By his walking on the sea in a storm, when the waves
were raised, he showed himself to be that God spoken of in Job 9:8.
"That treadeth on the waves of the sea." By his stilling the storm,
and calming the rage of the sea, by his powerful command, saying,
"Peace, be still," he showed that he has the command of the
universe, and that he is that God who brings things to pass by the
word of his power, who speaks and it is done, who commands and it
stands fast; Psalm 115:7. "Who stilleth the noise of the seas, the
noise of their waves." And Psalm 107:29. "That maketh the storm a
calm, so that the waves thereof are still." And Psalm 139:8f. "O
Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee, or to thy
faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea:
when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them." Christ, by
casting out devils, remarkably appeared as the Lion of the tribe of
Judah, and showed that he was stronger than the roaring lion, that
seizes whom he may devour. He commanded them to come out, and they
were forced to obey. They were terribly afraid of him; they fall
down before him, and beseech him not so torment them. He forces a
whole legion of them to forsake their hold, by his powerful word;
and they could not so much as enter into the swine without his
leave. He showed the glory of his omniscience, by telling the
thoughts of men; as we have often an account. Herein he appeared to
be that God spoken of, Amos 4:13. "That declareth unto man what is
his thought." Thus, in the midst of his meanness and humiliation,
his divine glory appeared in his miracles, John 2:11. "This
beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested
forth his glory."
And though Christ ordinarily appeared without outward glory,
and in great obscurity, yet at a certain time he threw off the veil,
and appeared in his divine majesty, so far as it could be outwardly
manifested to men in this frail state, when he was transfigured in
the mount. The apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1:16,17. was an "eye-witness of
his majesty, when he received from God the Father honor and glory,
when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; which voice that came
from heaven they heard, when they were with him in the holy mount."
And at the same time that Christ was wont to appear in such
meekness, condescension, and humility, in his familiar discourses
with his disciples, appearing therein as the Lamb of God; he was
also wont to appear as The Lion of the tribe of Judah, with divine
authority and majesty, in his so sharply rebuking the scribes and
Pharisees, and other hypocrites.
C) This admirable conjunction of excellencies remarkably
appears in his offering up himself a sacrifice for sinners in his
last sufferings.
As this was the greatest thing in all the works of redemption,
the greatest act of Christ in that work; so in this act especially
does there appear that admirable conjunction of excellencies that
has been spoken of. Christ never so much appeared as a lamb, as when
he was slain: "He came like a lamb to the slaughter," Isaiah 53:7.
Then he was offered up to God as a lamb without blemish, and without
spot: then especially did he appear to be the anti-type of the lamb
of the passover: 1 Cor 5:7. "Christ our Passover sacrificed for us."
And yet in that act he did in an especial manner appear as the Lion
of the tribe of Judah; yea, in this above all other acts, in many
respects, as may appear in the following things.
1) Then was Christ in the greatest degree of his humiliation,
and yet by that, above all other things, his divine glory appears.
Christ's humiliation was great, in being born in such a low
condition, of a poor virgin, and in a stable. His humiliation was
great, in being subject to Joseph the carpenter, and Mary his
mother, and afterwards living in poverty, so as not to have where to
lay his head; and in suffering such manifold and bitter reproaches
as he suffered, while he went about preaching and working miracles.
But his humiliation was never so great as it was, in his last
sufferings, beginning with his agony in the garden, till he expired
on the cross. Never was he subject to such ignominy as then, never
did he suffer so much pain in his body, or so much sorrow in his
soul; never was he in so great an exercise of his condescension,
humility, meekness, and patience, as he was in these last
sufferings; never was his divine glory and majesty covered with so
thick and dark a veil; never did he so empty himself and make
himself of no reputation, as at this time.
And yet, never was his divine glory so manifested, by any act
of his, as in yielding himself up to these sufferings. When the
fruit of it came to appear, and the mystery and ends of it to be
unfolded in its issue, then did the glory of it appear, then did it
appear as the most glorious act of Christ that ever he exercised
towards the creature. This act of his is celebrated by the angels
and hosts of heaven with peculiar praises, as that which is above
all others glorious, as you may see in the context, (Revelation
5:9-12) "And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take
the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and
tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings
and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I
heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the
beasts, and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand
times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud
voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and
blessing."
2) He never in any act gave so great a manifestation of love to
God, and yet never so manifested his love to those that were enemies
to God, as in that act.
Christ never did any thing whereby his love to the Father was
so eminently manifested, as in his laying down his life, under such
inexpressible sufferings, in obedience to his command and for the
vindication of the honor of his authority and majesty; nor did ever
any mere creature give such a testimony of love to God as that was.
And yet this was the greatest expression of his love to sinful
men who were enemies to God; Rom. 5:10. "When we were enemies, we
were reconciled to God, by the death of his Son." The greatness of
Christ's love to such, appears in nothing so much as in its being
dying love. That blood of Christ which fell in great drops to the
ground, in his agony, was shed from love to God's enemies, and his
own. That shame and spitting, that torment of body, and that
exceeding sorrow, even unto death, which he endured in his soul, was
what he underwent from love to rebels against God to save them from
hell, and to purchase for them eternal glory. Never did Christ so
eminently show his regard to God's honor, as in offering up himself
a victim to Justice. And yet in this above all, he manifested his
love to them who dishonored God, so as to bring such guilt on
themselves, that nothing less than his blood could atone for it.
3) Christ never so eminently appeared for divine justice, and
yet never suffered so much from divine Justice, as when he offered
up himself a sacrifice for our sins.
In Christ's great sufferings did his infinite regard to the
honor of God's justice distinguishingly appear, for it was from
regard to that that he thus humbled himself.
And yet in these sufferings, Christ was the target of the
vindictive expressions of that very justice of God. Revenging
justice then spent all its force upon him, on account of our guilt;
which made him sweat blood, and cry out upon the cross, and probably
rent his vitals--broke his heart, the fountain of blood, or some
other blood vessels--and by the violent fermentation turned his
blood to water. For the blood and water that issued out of his side,
when pierced by the spear, seems to have been extravasated blood,
and so there might be a kind of literal fulfilment of Psalm 22:14.
"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my
heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels.'' And
this was the way and means by which Christ stood up for the honor of
God's justice, namely, by thus suffering its terrible executions.
For when he had undertaken for sinners, and had substituted himself
in their room, divine justice could have its due honor no other way
than by his suffering its revenges.
In this the diverse excellencies that met in the person of
Christ appeared, namely, his infinite regard to God's justice, and
such love to those that have exposed themselves to it, as induced
him thus to yield himself a sacrifice to it.
4) Christ's holiness never so illustriously shone forth as it
did in his last sufferings, and yet he never was to such a degree
treated as guilty.
Christ's holiness never had such a trial as it had then, and
therefore never had so great a manifestation. When it was tried in
this furnace it came forth as gold, or as silver purified seven
times. His holiness then above all appeared in his steadfast pursuit
of the honor of God, and in his obedience to him. For his yielding
himself unto death was transcendently the greatest act of obedience
that ever was paid to God by any one since the foundation of the
world.
And yet then Christ was in the greatest degree treated as a
wicked person would have been. He was apprehended and bound as a
malefactor. His accusers represented him as a most wicked wretch.
In his sufferings before his crucifixion, he was treated as if he
had been the worst and vilest of mankind, and then, he was put to a
kind of death, that none but the worst sort of malefactors were wont
to suffer, those that were most abject in their persons, and guilty
of the blackest crimes. And he suffered as though guilty from God
himself, by reason of our guilt imputed to him; for he who knew no
sin, was made sin for us; he was made subject to wrath, as if he had
been sinful himself. He was made a curse for us.
Christ never so greatly manifested his hatred of sin, as
against God, as in his dying to take away the dishonor that sin had
done to God; and yet never was he to such a degree subject to the
terrible effects of God's hatred of sin, and wrath against it, as he
was then. in this appears those diverse excellencies meeting in
Christ, namely, love to God, and grace to sinners.
5) He never was so dealt with, as unworthy, as in his last
sufferings, and yet it is chiefly on account of them that he is
accounted worthy.
He was therein dealt with as if he had not been worthy to live:
they cry out, "Away with him! away with him! Crucify him." John
19:15. And they prefer Barabbas before him. And he suffered from the
Father, as one whose demerits were infinite, by reason of our
demerits that were laid upon him.
And yet it was especially by that act of his subjecting himself
to those sufferings that he merited, and on the account of which
chiefly he was accounted worthy of the glory of his exaltation.
Philip. 2:8, 9. "He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death;
wherefore God hath highly exalted him."And we see that it is on this
account chiefly, that he is extolled as worthy by saints and angels
in the context: "Worthy," say they, "is the Lamb that was slain."
This shows an admirable conjunction in him of infinite dignity, and
infinite condescension and love to the infinitely unworthy.
6) Christ in his last sufferings suffered most extremely from
those towards whom he was then manifesting his greatest act of love.
He never suffered so much from his Father, (though not from any
hatred to him, but from hatred to our sins,) for he then forsook
him, or took away the comforts of his presence; and then "it pleased
the Lord to bruise him, and put him to grief." as Isaiah 53:10. And
yet he never gave so great a manifestation of love to God as then,
as has been already observed.
So Christ never suffered so much from the hands of men as he
did then; and yet never was in so high an exercise of love to men.
He never was so ill treated by his disciples; who were so
unconcerned about his sufferings, that they .would not watch with
him one hour, in his agony; and when he was apprehended, all forsook
him and fled, except Peter, who denied him with oaths and curses.
And yet then he was suffering, shedding his blood, and pouring out
his soul unto death for them. Yea, he probably was then shedding his
blood for some of them that shed his blood, for whom he prayed while
they were crucifying him; and who were probably afterwards brought
home to Christ by Peter's preaching. (Compare Luke 23:34. Acts
2:23,36,37,41. and chap. 3:17. and chap. 4.) This shows an admirable
meeting of justice and grace in the redemption of Christ.
7) It was in Christ's last sufferings, above all, that he was
delivered up to the power of his enemies; and yet by these, above
all, he obtained victory over his enemies.
Christ never was so in his enemies' hands, as in the time of
his last sufferings. They sought his life before; but from time to
time they were restrained, and Christ escaped out of their hands,
and this reason is given for it, that his time was not yet come. But
now they were suffered to work their will upon him, he was in a
great degree delivered up to the malice and cruelty of both wicked
men and devils. And therefore when Christ's enemies came to
apprehend him, he says to them, Luke 22:53. "When I was daily with
you in the temple ye stretched forth no hand against me: but this is
your hour, and the power of darkness."
And yet it was principally by means of those sufferings that he
conquered and overthrew his enemies. Christ never so effectually
bruised Satan's head, as when Satan bruised his heel. The weapon
with which Christ warred against the devil, and obtained a most
complete victory and glorious triumph over him, was the cross, the
instrument and weapon with which he thought he had overthrown
Christ, and brought on him shameful destruction. Col. 2:14,15.
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances,--nailing it to his
cross: and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show
of them openly, triumphing over them in it." In his last sufferings,
Christ sapped the very foundations of Satan's kingdom, he conquered
his enemies in their own territories, and beat them with their own
weapons as David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. The
devil had, as it were, swallowed up Christ, as the whale did Jonah--
but it was deadly poison to him, he gave him a mortal wound in his
own bowels. He was soon sick of his morsel, and was forced to do by
him as the whale did by Jonah. To this day he is heart-sick of what
he then swallowed as his prey. In those sufferings of Christ was
laid the foundation of all that glorious victory he has already
obtained over Satan, in the overthrow of his heathenish kingdom in
the Roman empire, and all the success the gospel has had since; and
also of all his future and still more glorious victory that is to be
obtained in the earth. Thus Samson's riddle is most eminently
fulfilled, Judges 14:14. "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out
of the strong came forth sweetness." And thus the true Samson does
more towards the destruction of his enemies at his death than in his
life, in yielding up himself to death, he pulls down the temple of
Dagon, and destroys many thousands of his enemies, even while they
are making themselves sport in his sufferings--and so he whose type
was the ark, pulls down Dagon, and breaks off his head and hands in
his own temple, even while he is brought in there as Dagon's
captive. (1 Samuel 5:1-4)
Thus Christ appeared at the same time, and in the same act, as
both a lion and a lamb. He appeared as a lamb in the hands of his
cruel enemies; as a lamb in the paws, and between the devouring
jaws, of a roaring lion; yea, he was a lamb actually slain by this
lion: and yet at the same time, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah,
he conquers and triumphs over Satan; destroying his own destroyer;
as Samson did the lion that roared upon him, when he rent him as he
would a kid. And in nothing has Christ appeared so much as a lion,
in glorious strength destroying his enemies, as when he was brought
as a lamb to the slaughter. In his greatest weakness he was most
strong; and when he suffered most from his enemies, he brought the
greatest confusion on his enemies.
Thus this admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies was
manifest in Christ, in his offering up himself to God in his last
sufferings.
D) It is still manifest in his acts, in his present state of
exaltation in heaven. Indeed, in his exalted state, he most
eminently appears in manifestation of those excellencies, on the
account of which he is compared to a lion; but still he appears as a
lamb; Rev. 14:1. "And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on mount Sion";
as in his state of humiliation he chiefly appeared as a lamb, and
yet did not appear without manifestation of his divine majesty and
power, as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Though Christ be now at
the right-hand of God, exalted as King of heaven, and Lord of the
universe; yet as he still is in the human nature, he still excels in
humility. Though the man Christ Jesus be the highest of all
creatures in heaven, yet he as much excels them all in humility as
he doth in glory and dignity, for none sees so much of the distance
between God and him as he does. And though he now appears in such
glorious majesty and dominion in heaven, yet he appears as a lamb in
his condescending, mild, and sweet treatment of his saints there,
for he is a Lamb still, even amidst the throne of his exaltation,
and he that is the Shepherd of the whole flock is himself a Lamb,
and goes before them in heaven as such. Rev. 7:17. "For the Lamb,
which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead
them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes." Though in heaven every knee bows to him, and
though the angels fall down before him adoring him, yet he treats
his saints with infinite condescension, mildness, and endearment.
And in his acts towards the saints on earth, he still appears as a
lamb, manifesting exceeding love and tenderness in his intercession
for them, as one that has had experience of affliction and
temptation. He has not forgot what these things are, nor has he
forgot how to pity those that are subject to them. And he still
manifests his lamb-like excellencies, in his dealings with his
saints on earth, in admirable forbearance, love, gentleness, and
compassion. Behold him instructing, supplying, supporting, and
comforting them; often coming to them, and manifesting himself to
them by his Spirit, that he may sup with them, and they with him.
Behold him admitting them to sweet communion, enabling them with
boldness and confidence to come to him, and solacing their hearts.
And in heaven Christ still appears, as it were, with the marks of
his wounds upon him, and so appears as a Lamb as it had been slain,
as he was represented in vision to St John, in the text, when he
appeared to open the book sealed with seven seals, which is part of
the glory of his exaltation.
E) And lastly, this admirable conjunction of excellencies will
be manifest in Christ's acts at the last judgement.
He then, above all other times, will appear as the Lion of the
tribe of Judah in infinite greatness and majesty, when he shall come
in the glory of his Father, with all the holy angels, and the earth
shall tremble before him, and the hills shall melt. This is he (Rev.
20:11.) "that shall sit on a great white throne, before whose face
the earth and heaven shall flee away." He will then appear in the
most dreadful and amazing manner to the wicked. The devils tremble
at the thought of that appearance, and when it shall be, the kings,
and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains. and the
mighty men, and every bond-man and every free-man, shall hide
themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and shall
cry to the mountains and rocks to fall on them, to hide them from
the face and wrath of the Lamb. And none can declare or conceive of
the amazing manifestations of wrath in which he will then appear
towards these, or the trembling and astonishment the shrieking and
gnashing of teeth, with which they shall stand before his
judgment-seat, and receive the terrible sentence of his wrath.
And yet he will at the same time appear as a Lamb to his
saints; he will receive them as friends and brethren, treating them
with infinite mildness and love. There shall be nothing in him
terrible to them, but towards them he will clothe himself wholly
with sweetness and endearment. The church shall be then admitted to
him as his bride; that shall be her wedding-day. The saints shall
all be sweetly invited to come with him to inherit the kingdom, and
reign in it with him to all eternity.
***** PART THREE *****
[I would now show how the aforesaid teaching is of benefit to
us, in that
A) it gives us insight into the names of Christ in Scripture,
B) it encourages us to accept him as our Savior,
C) it encourages us to accept him as our Friend.]
A) From this doctrine we may learn one reason why Christ is
called by such a variety of names, and held forth under such a
variety of representations, in Scripture. It is the better to
signify and exhibit to us that variety of excellencies that meet
together and are conjoined in him. Many appellations are mentioned
together in one verse Isaiah 9:6. "For unto us a Child is born, unto
us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God,
the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." It shows a wonderful
conjunction of excellencies, that the same person should be a Son,
born and given, and yet be the everlasting Father, without beginning
or end, that he should be a Child, and yet be he whose name is
Counsellor, and the mighty God; and well may his name, in whom such
things are conjoined, be called wonderful.
By reason of the same wonderful conjunction, Christ is
represented by a great variety of sensible things, that are on some
account excellent. Thus in some places he is called a Sun, as Mal.
4:2, in others a Star, Numb. 24:17. And he is especially represented
by the Morning star, as being that which excels all other stars in
brightness, and is the forerunner of the day, Rev. 22:16. And, as in
our text, he is compared to a lion in one verse, and a lamb in the
next, so sometimes he is compared to a roe or young hart, another
creature most diverse from a lion. So in some places he is called a
rock, in others he is compared to a pearl. In some places he is
called a man of war, and the Captain of our Salvation, in other
places he is represented as a bridegroom. In the second chapter of
Canticles, the first verse, he is compared to a rose and a lily,
that are sweet and beautiful flowers; in the next verse but one, he
is compared to a tree bearing sweet fruit. In Isaiah 53:2 he is
called a Root out of a dry ground; but elsewhere, instead of that,
he is called the Tree of Life, that grows (not in a dry or barren
ground, but) "in the midst of the paradise of God." Rev. 2:7.
B) Let the consideration of this wonderful meeting of diverse
excellencies in Christ induce you to accept of him, and close with
him as your Savior. As all manner of excellencies meet in him, so
there are concurring in him all manner of arguments and motives, to
move you to choose him for your Savior, and every thing that tends
to encourage poor sinners to come and put their trust in him: his
fullness and all-sufficiency as a Savior gloriously appear in that
variety of excellencies that has been spoken of.
Fallen man is in a state of exceeding great misery, and is
helpless in it; he is a poor weak creature, like an infant cast out
in its blood in the day that it is born. But Christ is the lion of
the tribe of Judah; he is strong, though we are weak; he hath
prevailed to do that for us which no creature else could do. Fallen
man is a mean despicable creature, a contemptible worm; but Christ,
who has undertaken for us, is infinitely honorable and worthy.
Fallen man is polluted, but Christ is infinitely holy; fallen man is
hateful, but Christ is infinitely lovely; fallen man is the object
of God's indignation, but Christ is infinitely dear to him. We have
dreadfully provoked God, but Christ has performed that righteousness
which is infinitely precious in God's eyes.
And here is not only infinite strength and infinite worthiness,
but infinite condescension, and love and mercy, as great as power
and dignity. If you are a poor, distressed sinner, whose heart is
ready to sink for fear that God never will have mercy on you, you
need not be afraid to go to Christ, for fear that he is either
unable or unwilling to help you. Here is a strong foundation, and an
inexhaustible treasure, to answer the necessities of your poor soul,
and here is infinite grace and gentleness to invite and embolden a
poor, unworthy, fearful soul to come to it. If Christ accepts of
you, you need not fear but that you will be safe, for he is a strong
Lion for your defense. And if you come, you need not fear but that
you shall be accepted; for he is like a Lamb to all that come to
him, and receives then with infinite grace and tenderness. It is
true he has awful majesty, he is the great God, and infinitely high
above you; but there is this to encourage and embolden the poor
sinner, that Christ is man as well as God; he is a creature, as well
as the Creator, and he is the most humble and lowly in heart of any
creature in heaven or earth. This may well make the poor unworthy
creature bold in coming to him. You need not hesitate one moment;
but may run to him, and cast yourself upon him. You will certainly
be graciously and meekly received by him. Though he is a lion, he
will only be a lion to your enemies, but he will be a lamb to you.
It could not have been conceived, had it not been so in the person
of Christ, that there could have been so much in any Savior, that is
inviting and tending to encourage sinners to trust in him. Whatever
your circumstances are, you need not be afraid to come to such a
Savior as this. Be you never so wicked a creature, here is
worthiness enough; be you never so poor, and mean, and ignorant a
creature, there is no danger of being despised, for though he be so
much greater than you, he is also immensely more humble than you.
Any one of you that is a father or mother, will not despise one of
your own children that comes to you in distress: much less danger is
there of Christ's despising you, if you in your heart come to him.
Here let me a little expostulate with the poor, burdened, distressed
soul.
1) What are you afraid of, that you dare not venture your soul
upon Christ? Are you afraid that he cannot save you, that he is not
strong enough to conquer the enemies of your soul? But how can you
desire one stronger than "the almighty God"? as Christ is called,
Isa. 9:6. Is there need of greater than infinite strength? Are you
afraid that he will not be willing to stoop so low as to take any
gracious notice of you? But then, look on him, as he stood in the
ring of soldiers, exposing his blessed face to be buffeted and spit
upon by them! Behold him bound with his back uncovered to those that
smote him! And behold him hanging on the cross! Do you think that he
that had condescension enough to stoop to these things, and that for
his crucifiers, will be unwilling to accept of you, if you come to
him? Or, are you afraid that if he does accept you, that God the
Father will not accept of him for you? But consider, will God reject
his own Son, in whom his infinite delight is, and has been, from all
eternity, and who is so united to him, that if he should reject him
he would reject himself?
2) What is there that you can desire should be in a Savior,
that is not in Christ? Or, wherein should you desire a Savior should
be otherwise than Christ is? What excellency is there wanting? What
is there that is great or good; what is there that is venerable or
winning; what is there that is adorable or endearing; or, what can
you think of that would be encouraging, which is not to be found in
the person of Christ? Would you have your Savior to be great and
honorable, because you are not willing to be beholden to a mean
person? And, is not Christ a person honorable enough to be worthy
that you should be dependent on him? Is he not a person high enough
to be appointed to so honorable a work as your salvation? Would you
not only have a Savior of high degree, but would you have him,
notwithstanding his exaltation and dignity, to be made also of low
degree, that he might have experience of afflictions and trials,
that he might learn by the things that he has suffered, to pity them
that suffer and are tempted? And has not Christ been made low enough
for you? and has he not suffered enough? Would you not only have him
possess experience of the afflictions you now suffer, but also of
that amazing wrath that you fear hereafter, that he may know how to
pity those that are in danger, and afraid of it? This Christ has had
experience of, which experience gave him a greater sense of it, a
thousand times, than you have, or any man living has. Would you have
your Savior to be one who is near to God, that so his mediation
might be prevalent with him? And can you desire him to be nearer to
God than Christ is, who is his only-begotten Son, of the same
essence with the Father? And would you not only have him near to
God, but also near to you, that you may have free access to him? And
would you have him nearer to you than to be in the same nature,
united to you by a spiritual union, so close as to be fitly
represented by the union of the wife to the husband, of the branch
(continued in part 3...)
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-01: edwex-02.txt
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