Light for Them that Sit in Darkness, Book · Part 2 – Part 3
How Jesus Christ addressed himself to the Work of our Redemption.
I Come then in the next place to shew you HOW Jesus Christ addressed himself to the Work of mans Redemption.
The Scripture saith, he became poor: That he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, that he humbled himself unto death, even the Death of the Cross. But particularly:
1. He took upon him our Flesh.
2. He was made under the Law.
3. He took upon him our Sins.
4. He bore the Curse due to our Sins.
First, He took upon him our Flesh. I shewed you before that he came in our Flesh, and now I must shew you the Reason of it: namely, Because, That was the way to address himself to the Work of our Redemption.
Wherefore, when the Apostle treated of the Incarnation of Christ, he addeth▪ withal the reason, to wit, That he might be capable to work out the Redemption of men.
There are three things to be considered in this 1st Head.
1. that he took our Flesh; for this Reason, That he might be a Saviour.
2. How he took flesh, that he might be our Saviour.
2. That it was necessary that he should take our Flesh, if indeed he will be our Saviour.
For the First, That he took our Flesh, for this Reason, That he might be a Saviour: For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh, Rom. 8. 3, 4.
The Sum of the Words is, forasmuch as the Law could do us no good, by reason of the inability that is in our flesh to do it (for the Law can do us no good until it be fulfilled) and because God had a desire that good should come to us, therefore did he send his Son in our likeness, clothed with flesh, to destroy by his doing the Law, the tendency of the Sin that dwells in our flesh. He therefore took our flesh, that our Sin, with its effects, might by him be condemned and overcome.
The Reason therefore why he took flesh, is, Because he would be our Saviour.
For asmuch then as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and blood, he also likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death, that is the Devil, and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage, Heb. 2. 14, 15.
In these words it is asserted, that he took our flesh for certain Reasons.
1. Because the Children, the Heirs of Heaven, are Partakers of Flesh and Blood. For asmuch then as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, he also himself took part of the same. Had the Children, the Heirs, been without flesh, he himself had not taken it upon him: had the Children been Angels, he had taken upon him the Nature of Angels; but because the Children were Partakers of Flesh, therefore, leaving Angels, or refusing to take hold of Angels, he took Flesh and Blood, the Nature of the Children; that he might put himself into a capacity to save and deliver the Children. Therefore it follows, That through death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death, that is the Devil.
This therefore was another Reason, that he might destroy the Devil.
The Devil had bent himself against the Children: he is their Adversary, and goeth forth to make war with them. The Devil your Adversary: And he went to make war with the Remnant of her Seed, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Revel. 12. Now the Children could not destroy him, because he had already cast them into sin; defiled their Nature, and laid them under the Wrath of God, Therefore Christ puts himself among the Children, and into the Nature of the Children; that he might, by means of his Dying in their Flesh, destroy the Devil; that is, take away Sin, his Work, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil; for sin is the great Engine of Hell, by which he overthroweth all that perish: Now this did Christ destroy, by taking on him the similitude of Sinful Flesh; of which more anon.
That he might destroy him that had the Power of Death, that is the Devil, and deliver them. This was the thing in chief intended, that he might deliver the Children, that he might deliver them from death, the Fruit of their Sin; and from Sin, the Sting of that Death. That he might deliver them, who through the Fear of Death, were all their Life-time subject to bondage.
He took flesh therefore, because the Children had it; he took it that he might die for the Children, he took it that he might deliver the Children from the Works of the Devil; that he might deliver them. No Deliverance had come to the Children if the Son of God had not taken their Flesh and Blood. Therefore he took our Flesh that he might be our Saviour.
Again, In a Saviour there must be not only Merit, but Compassion and Sympathy; because the Children are yet to live by Faith, are not yet come to the Inheritance. It behoved him therefore in all things to be made like unto his Brethren, that he might be a Merciful and Faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God, to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People, Heb. 2. 17, 18.
Two Reasons are rendred in this Text, why he must take Flesh; namely, that he might be their Priest, to offer Sacrifice, to wit, his Body and Blood for them; and that he might be merciful and faithful, to pitty and preserve them unto the Kingdom appointed for them.
Mark you therefore, how the Apostle, when he asserteth that the Lord Jesus took our Flesh, urgeth the reason why he took our Flesh. THAT he might destroy the Devil and Death, THAT he might deliver them. It behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren, THAT he might be merciful and faithful, THAT he might make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People. The Reason therefore why he took our Flesh is declared, to wit, That he might be our Saviour. And hence you find it so often recorded; He hath abolished in his Flesh the Enmity; He hath slain the Enmity by his Flesh; and you who were sometimes Aliens and Enemies in your Minds by wicked works: yet, now hath he reconciled, in the Body of his Flesh, through death, to present you holy and unblameable in his Sight, Ephes. 2. 15, 16. Col. 1. 21, 22.
How he took Flesh.
I Come now to the Second Question, to wit, How he took our Flesh. This must be inquired into, for his taking Flesh was not after the common way, never any took man's Flesh upon him as he, since the Foundation of the World.
1. He took not our flesh like Adam, who was formed out of the Ground. Who was made of the Dust of the Ground, Gen. 2. 7. Chap. 3. 19.
2. He took not our flesh as we do by Carnal Generation. Joseph knew not his Wife, neither did Mary know any Man, till she had brought forth her First-horn Son, Luk. 1. 34. Mat. 1. 25.
3. He took flesh then, by the immediate working and over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost: And hence it is said expresly; She was found with Child of the Holy Ghost. Now the Birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When-as his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, (before they came together) she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 1. 18. And hence again, When Joseph doubted of her Honesty (for he perceived she was with Child and knew he had not touched her) the Angel of God, himself comes down to resolve his doubt, and said, Joseph thou Son of David, Fear not, to take unto thee Mary thy Wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 1. 20.
But again, Though the Holy Ghost was that by which the Child Jesus was formed in the Womb, so as to be without Carnal Generation; yet was he not formed in her without, but by her Conception. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy Womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his Name Jesus, Luk. 1. 31. Wherefore, he took flesh not only IN, but OF the Virgin. Hence he is called HER Son, the SEED of the Woman. And hence it is also that he is called the Seed OF Abraham, the Seed OF David; THEIR Seed according to the Flesh, Luk. 2. 7. Gen. 13. 15. Chap. 12. Chap. 22. Gal. 3. 16. Chap. 4. 4. Rom. 1. 3. Luk. 1. 32. Rom. 9. 5.
And this the Work he undertook, required.
1. It required that he should take our Flesh.
2. It required that he should take our Flesh without sin, which could not be, had he taken it by reason of a Carnal Generation; for so, all Children are conceived in, and polluted with sin, Psal. 51. And the least pollution, either of flesh or spirit, had utterly disabled him for the Work, which to do, he came down from Heaven. Therefore, Such an High-Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from Sinners, and made higher than the Heavens, Heb. 7. 26.
This Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God was thus compleated: I say, That he might be in all points like as we are, yet without sin; for sin in the Fesh disableth, and maketh incapable to do the Commandment. Therefore was he thus made, thus made of a Woman: And this the Angel assigneth as the Reason of this his Marvelous Incarnation: The Holy Ghost, saith he, shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God, Luk. 2. 35.
The Overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and the Power of the Highest; the Father, and the Holy Ghost, brought this Wonderful thing to pass; for Jesus is a Wonderful One, in his Conception and Birth. This Mystery is that, next to the Mystery of three Persons in one God. It is a great Mystery. Great is the Mystery of Godliness; God was manifested in the Flesh.
The Conclusion is, That Jesus Christ took our Flesh, that he might be our Saviour; and that he might be our Saviour indeed, he THUS took our Flesh.