Isaiah 53 — The Second Verse

    Forheshallgrowupbeforehimasatenderplant,andasarootoutofadryground:hehath noformnorcomeliness:andwhenweshallseehim,thereisnobeautythatweshould desire him.

    AM now to make entrance upon the cause and ground of the Jews’ unbelief, namely, Christ’s meanness and sufferings. His meanness is described:—

    1.      In regard of his birth.

    2.      In regard of his manner of life, and outward appearance in the world, which are the two things the prophet prosecutes in divers expressions. I shall take notice of them in this and the following verses.

    My method shall be:—

    1.      To open the phrases to you as they lie in the order of the words.

    2.      To apply them to Jesus Christ, and to give you some helps for your meditation.

    3.      Because Christ’s life holdeth forth much matter of observation for the guiding of our lives, I shall give some more general and practical points, that so what is said of Christ may be useful for us.

    First, For the phrases, and these respect:—

    First, His birth and original; and here three expressions are to be explained.

    1.      Heshallgrowupasatenderplant. What is meant by that? The Septuagint (because the word for tenderplant signifieth also a sucker) have translated it ὡς παιδίον. We have spoken of him as a sucking child. But I conceive it is not put here to signify the infancy of Christ, so much as the low and mean manner of the original that he would take upon himself. He would be as a tender plant, not as a tall tree full of limbs and branches. For it is usual in scripture to set forth the several conditions of men by trees and plants: thus Nebuchadnezzar’s greatness and strength are represented, Dan. iv. 21, 22, by the tree whose leaves were fair, whose fruits were much, and the branches thereof reaching to heaven and shading the earth. So the Psalmist describes the wicked’s prosperity, Ps. xxxvii. 35, ‘I have seen the wicked great in power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree.’ And on the contrary, misery is expressed by the heath in the desert, a low mean shrub, Jer. xvii. 6. So here, Christ’s meanness and poverty are held forth by a tender plant, newly sprouted forth, and come up above the earth, which a man would tread upon rather than cherish. And indeed it is observable that Christ is often represented by the expression of a tender plant, or as a branch: thus Isa. xi. 1, ‘There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.’ I shall touch upon it again. So it is said, Zech. iii. 8, ‘I will bring forth my servant the branch.’ So chap. vi. 12, ‘The man whose name is The Branch:’ Jer. xxiii. 5, ‘Behold the days shall come that I will raise unto David the righteous branch;’ Jer. xxxiii. 15, ‘Behold, I will cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David.’ And I conceive this expression holdeth forth two things:—

    [1.] Christ’s present meanness, what he was in the world’s eye, which was no more than a branch or twig.

    [2.] His future glory. He should be a tree: Ezek. xvii. 22-24, ‘Thus saith the Lord, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fair fruit, and become a goodly cedar; and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.’ Thus it was a tender plant, yet such a one as might become a spacious and goodly tree.

    2.      Arootoutofadryground; that is, not only a tender branch, but a branch that hath little verdure and freshness. But why a root? And why out of a dry ground? The root does not come up, but the branches. I may answer—Root is put figuratively, the cause for the effect, the root for the sprigs; or else to denote the dryness of the branch; it was not fresh and green: even like a root, or like heath in the wilderness, which is a branch and root too. Or more properly it may be to show that Christ is such a branch as that he is a root likewise. And I the rather take notice of this, because the scripture doth so: Rev. v. 5, ‘The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book;’ and chap. xxii. 16, ‘I am the root and offspring of David.’ Mark, not the branch, but the root. Christ was David’s son and David’s Lord, Mat. xxii. 45, yet ‘a root out of a dry ground.’ Some triflers understand by this is meant the womb of the virgin; but it is rather the dead and withered stock of David’s house. For though that family was obscure, and all the glorious branches cut off to the very stump, yet even then shall sprout out the last and greatest ornament of it, like a root out of a dry ground. Therefore it is observable it is said, Isa. xi. 1, ‘A rod shall come out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots.’ He doth not say, out of the stem of David, who was the first king and honour of that family, but Jesse, whose name was more obscure, implying that at this time this house should be reduced to its first meanness, or that it should not be the house of David so much as the house of Jesse. Out of his decayed roots should spring up this tender branch.

    3.      Beforehim. Whom? Some say himself, for so they say the Hebrew word is to be understood. As if the sense were, if you look to the state and presence of the person himself.

    But I shall pass by that, and take notice but of two persons to whom this him may be referred; for the scriptures have this privilege, to abound in senses.

    [1.] Him, that is, the Lord, for so may it be referred. He was but lately spoken of, ver. 1, ‘The arm of the Lord;’ and then it is added, ‘Before him shall grow up a tender plant.’ Though he was so mean, yet God saw it, and permitted it, because he had appointed it. It was not by chance, and because it could be no better, but by God’s special decree and appointment. Before the Lord he shall rise up a tender plant.

    [2.] Beforehim; that is, before the party that believes not the report: ver. 1, ‘Who hath believed,’ &c.—because before him Christ riseth up in such a mean manner. By this him must be meant the unbelieving Jews of whom he spake. Reason cannot expect that the Messiah should lie hid under so mean a shape. They will be offended in Christ’s meanness, as I shall touch by and by. Thus for the phrases of Christ’s original.

    Secondly, For the phrases now that belong to the outward state and appearance of his life. Christ hath not in him proportion and beauty, which are the objects allurable to men. We love things for the orderly disposition of parts or colours; the one is called form or comeliness, the other beauty. So that Christ’s mean appearance is described two ways:—

    1.      By the removal of excellency.

    2.      By the restraint of affection.

    1.      As to the removal of excellency. And therein—

    [1.] No proportion, no form nor comeliness is found in him. Then—

    [2.] As to beauty, there was no fitness of colour. These things are not put here literally, to deny there was any individual or personal beauty in Christ; for I believe that he was not of a monstrous and misshapen body, but well compacted and well coloured,—though I doubt not but there have been a great many fictions about the body of Christ, particularly what Lentulus says in his letters concerning the amiableness of Christ’s countenance, that he was of so fair a face, and yet of so majestic an eye, that all that beheld him were enforced to love and fear him. Nicephorus likewise said that Mary Magdalen, who was at first a common strumpet, was drawn to hear Christ upon a report of the comeliness of his person, and afterwards won by the efficacy of his doctrine. No doubt he had a comely, well-featured, healthy body. But this is not spoken of so much as his outward port and presence to the world. He did not come with such pomp and glory as they imagined was suitable to the majesty of the Messiah. They thought he should have come in a royal way, with a great deal of outward pomp and splendour, that so all the world might have admired the great Redeemer of the Jews.

    But how can it be said of Christ that he had neither comeliness nor beauty, since it is said, Ps. xlv. 2, that ‘he is fairer than the children of men,’ or ‘than the sons of Adam’? And in Cant. v. 10-16, he is described by the spouse to be well-coloured, ‘My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand;’ and likewise well-featured, as she goeth on from part to part, from head to feet; and then concludeth, ‘He is altogether lovely.’

    To this I answer:—

    (1.) It is one thing what Christ is to the spouse, another what he is to the unbelieving Jews. Christ’s beauties are inward, seen of none but those that are inwardly acquainted with him. The spouse speaketh of him in a spiritual sense. Here he is spoken of in respect of his outward habitude in the world.

    (2.) We must distinguish between Christ’s humiliation and exaltation, his Godhead and his manhood. In his Godhead; so he is ‘the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person,’ Heb. i. 3, and consequently full of beauty. In his humiliation; so he is not only a man, but a mean man: Phil. ii. 9, ‘He made himself of no reputation.’

    (3.) In Christ’s humiliation we must distinguish as to what he is in himself and as to what he is in the eye of the world. In Christ’s manhood he did not appear in the form of God. It is said, Phil. ii. 7, ‘He took upon him the form of a servant;’ yet he did not lay aside his Godhead: that appeared too sometimes in the power of his doctrine and miracles; but the world saw no form in him, none of the form of the Godhead in him. Then—

    2.      As to the phrase that implieth restraint of affection, ‘why we should desire him.’ But you will say, How then is Christ said to be the desire of all nations, as we read, Hag. ii. 7, ‘I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come’?

    I answer—

    [1.] Though he is not actually desired, yet he is nevertheless worthy of esteem and affection. Pearls do not lose their worth though swine trample upon them. It is the world only that is offended at his meanness, and saith, ‘There is no beauty in him wherefore we should desire him.’ But—

    [2.] You judge by the eye and appearance. Now a carnal heart can see no excellency in Christ; and when you see him, if you trust to your sight merely, you will not desire him. Thus you have the meaning of the words. Now—

    Secondly, To accommodate this prophecy to Christ, and show you how it agreeth to him, that so his love may be displayed and held forth to your meditations, that he should submit himself to such meanness for your sakes. Wherefore I desire that you would with me observe these few things. And first from the causal particle: ‘For he shall grow up as a tender plant.’ He gives a reason why so few believed the report.

    The point therefore is this:—

    Doct. 1. That Christ’s meanness, and want of outward pomp and splendour, is the great prejudice against the entertainment of him and the things of his kingdom.

    In handling this point I shall treat of his meanness both in his life and doctrine.

    First, As to his meanness in his manner of revealing himself to the world. Because the beginnings of his kingdom were weak, the world rejected it. I will prove this by a reason or two.

    1.      Because we have no light to see any excellency in other things but what are outwardly glorious. Men being inured to such things, think them the only things. Corrupt desires make a corrupt mind. Where there is flesh, there will be a knowing of things after the flesh, 2 Cor.

    v. 16; and we will think such things only to be glorious. Men’s judgments are as their affections; for as these are, so are their conceits of happiness: 1 Cor. ii. 12, ‘We have not received the spirit of the world.’ There is a spirit of the world which maketh men think that the greatest excellency is in the things of the world, as in outward fineness, royalty, learning, eloquence, pomp, and splendour. Christ is mean, and therefore rejected, because he cometh not with these things.

    2.      Because we judge altogether by likelihoods and outward appearances. Samuel thought sure that Eliab was the man, because he looked upon his countenance and the height of his stature, 1 Sam. xvi. 7; but it is added, ‘Man seeth not as God seeth; man looketh to the outward appearance.’ We judge of things according as they are to our senses. Many would have thought that some great emperor should have been the Messiah, rather than the poor child in the manger at Bethlehem. Most people will have it that truth is rather on that side that is accompanied and accommodated with outward authority, applause, and other advantages of learning and eminency, than among a few despicable men, such as the martyrs were.

    3.      Because we envy and despise any worth that is veiled under meanness, as if it were a disgrace to us to take anything from those beneath us. It was a great condescension in Job, chap. xxxi. 13, that he would ‘not despise the cause of his servants when they contended with him.’ Certain it is otherwise in the world; they consider the person and envy the excellency; as you may read, Mat. xiii. 55, &c. Though they were astonished at his doctrine, yet they said, ‘Is not this the carpenter’s son?’ and were offended at him. His mean original hindered them from giving that due honour and respect that they should.

    Use 1. The use of this may be to inform us:—

    1. Whence it is that Christ is differently entertained in the world, which is, because some see nothing but the outward meanness, others the inward excellency: Luke ii. 34, ‘This child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel.’ Because this child, therefore for the fall and rising of many. And therefore he is called a rock of offence and a stumbling-stone, Rom. ix.

    33. God would not satisfy every one. There was inward power in Christ, and outward meanness, and many times he did exert and put forth his inward power: 1 Peter ii. 7, ‘To them that believe he is precious; but to others a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence.’ God will satisfy those that are desirous to learn the things of his kingdom; as for others, there is so much outward meanness and reproach laid upon his ways, as to harden them against them. If you will know the reason why so many are prejudiced against the ways of Christ, it is because they see nothing in them worthy of their choice. Oh, it is a great mercy of God for any to see the beauty of religion through the clouds of meanness, affliction, selfdenial, and all those troubles to which it engageth men.

    2. Do not despise things for their meanness, for so thou mayest condemn the ways of God. God will have his people love him for his own sake, not for the outward accommodation and advantages we have by him. As it is said, John vi. 26, ‘Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracle, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled,’ Princes try the affections of their subjects most when they come to them in a disguise, and veil their majesty under the plainest garb; and so did Christ to the world, and still does to this day. He suffereth this stumbling-block, to see if we will look beyond it. As there was meanness in the outward habitude of Christ’s person, so there is now in the administration of his kingdom; as appears by considering:—

    [1.] That the ordinances are weak to appearance; there is nothing but plain words, plain bread and wine, in one ordinance, and only water in another. The simple plainness of the ordinances is an obstacle to men’s believing; they would fain bring in pomp, but that will mar all. When there were wooden chalices, there were golden priests. God would have his ordinances like himself, simple and full of virtue. The tabernacle was all gold within, but covered with badgers’ skins without. This stumbleth the world at first dash; they will not look for gold where they see nothing but badgers’ skins: 2 Kings v. 12, ‘Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?’ What! no greater thing to be done for my health? I might have done thus at home. So some are apt to say, We had better read at home, than wait upon such plain preaching; but remember, it is God’s ordinance, and that puts a value upon it.

    [2.] These ordinances are administered by weak men. Many times God singleth out the meanest. Our Saviour sent fishermen to conquer the world, and made use of a goose-quill to wound Antichrist. Moses, the stammering shepherd, was commissioned to deliver Israel; God makes use of Amos, who was a herdsman, to declare his will, Amos i. 1. So Elisha the great prophet was taken from the plough, 1 Kings xix. 19. And many times God made use of young men, such as Paul, whose very person causeth prejudice; young Samuel, young Timothy, men of mean, descent, low parentage, and of no great appearance in the world.

    [3.] The manner how it is by them managed, which is not in such a politic, insinuating way as to beguile and deceive, and as if they were to serve their own ends: 2 Cor. i. 12, the apostle saith, ‘Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, we have our conversation among you.’ He calleth it carnal wisdom to use any underhand dealing to gain esteem to their way, or to go in any by-path out of Christ’s way. They did nothing deceitfully and closely, but what they openly held forth. And so now the less there is of worldly wisdom, the more God prevaileth: Luke xvi. 8, ‘The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.’

    [4.] The persons by whom it is entertained, the poor: James ii. 5, ‘Hath not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith?’ Usually God’s true people are the meanest and most contemptible, not being so noted for outward excellency as others, Mat. xi. God revealeth the things of his kingdom to babes, men destitute of outward sufficiencies. This hath been always a great prejudice against Christ’s doctrine: John vii. 48, ‘Have any of the rulers or the pharisees believed on him?’ Have the great men, the great scholars, closed with that way?

    [5.] The general drift of it is to make men deny their pleasures, to overlook their concernments, to despise the world, to hinder unjust gain, to walk contrary to the honorary customs and fashions of the world. If men would be Christians indeed, they will find that the usual customs of the world are most contrary to Christianity; as to for give injuries, to seek reconciliation, to put up with disgrace, and to show kindness to those that are not likely to repay us again: Luke xiv. 12-14, ‘When thou makest a dinner or supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor thy rich neighbours, lest they bid thee again, and a recompense be made unto thee; but call the poor, the blind, and the lame, and the maimed, for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.’ So to make a man contented, though he and his family should be in a mean condition, though he be not so great in the world as others; yet this is a great prejudice against the ways of Christ. Therefore do not despise persons or things for their meanness; do not count zeal folly, or religion weakness; do not reckon them among fools that are conscientiously scrupulous: Heb. xiii. 2, it is said, that some that entertained strangers thereby entertained angels unawares; so some that refuse things because of outward appearance, they refuse Christ unawares; they may condemn and reproach the very saints and people of God. Luke xvi.

    15: ‘That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the eyes of God.’ There is no judging by the outward probability and face of things. Still true, strict Christianity is disesteemed in the world; men look upon it as some humorous, misshapen conceit, that looketh enviously upon their pleasures, contrary to their natures, and unbefitting their quality. That you may not thus despise the things that any way concern the kingdom of Christ for their meanness, I shall give you these four directions:—

    (1.) Beg the Spirit of God that he would suggest to you his will and counsel in all things. The spirit of the world or your own spirit will make you judge amiss, and that nothing is God’s but what is outwardly glorious; and so even Christ may become a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to you, and you may despise the greatest truth. The things of Christ’s kingdom are carried in a secret way. The Spirit telleth us what things are given us of God. Plain things must be set on by the demonstration of the Spirit, or else we shall see no beauty in them: 1 Cor. ii. 4, A Christian sucketh marrow out of that which is dry bones to a natural man. Do not trust to your own reason. Leave a man to his reason, to the mere considerations of flesh and blood, and he can perceive no beauty in the glorious ways of Christ. This is the cause why great scholars are so much mistaken in the things of his kingdom

    (2.) Walk in the ways of God, in his fear and love—keep communion with him and he will direct you: Ps. xxv. 13, ‘The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; he will show them his covenant.’ God discovereth himself particularly to his own people. They are his friends, and you know friends reveal themselves mutually to one another in the greatest secrets; as Christ giveth the reason: John xv. 15, ‘I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have revealed to you.’ Those that keep up a continual acquaintance with God, by manifesting their love and fear of him, shall have divine mysteries manifested to them: Col. i. 26, ‘The mystery that was hid from ages is made manifest to the saints.’ Truths that have long lain hid through many successions and revolutions of ages, are at length made known to holy persons. Where there is purity, there is revelation: ‘The pure in heart shall see God,’ Mat. v. 8. They shall see more of his truth and mind in those things which if they should judge of by their own reason, they would contemn. So also it is said, Prov. iii. 32, ‘His secret is with the righteous.’ They have not only other kinds of knowledge, but knowledge of the secret of such a way as is veiled with contempt, reproach, and unlikelihood to the world. Blind and carnal men sometimes stumble upon the despised ways of Christ; but they do but plough with the saints’ heifer, and light their torch at the altar. Their self-ends and by-interests make them borrow from truth; but it is with them as it is with parrots, they speak the words of men not of reason but custom; they learn a truth when it is delivered, they have been used to such notions.

    (3.) Exercise faith; that is, the evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1; that is, not seen by natural sense or reason. It is ὄφθαλμος τῆς ψυχῆς,—the eye, the discovering part of the soul. As reason is to a natural man, so is faith to a godly man. It carrieth a man within the veil: what cannot be made out to sense and reason is made out to faith. Ideocredoquiaest impossibile, therefore I believe, because it is impossible. Though, in your own thoughts, you would fain have things otherwise, yet, if there be revelation to the contrary, believe it; as that there is happiness in sufferings,—that the reproach of Christ is better than all the treasures of the world, that there is life in death. Faith seeth that easy and plain which is the greatest contradiction to reason and sense. See what a riddle St Paul telleth you by faith: 2 Cor. vi. 9, 10, ‘As unknown, yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.’ Faith maketh us see that in a thing which reason would tell us were the greatest absurdity and inconsistency in the world to believe; as that Abraham should see Christ before he was extant. The Jews were ready to stone Christ for saying so: ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Faith captivates reason to scripture, and maketh a man close with the revelation against his own conceits and prejudices. Only take this caution,—though faith seeth things impossible and improbable, yet they are only such things as are revealed by God.

    (4.) Deny carnal reason and sense; do not judge of divine things by outward appearance. Hear what the apostle saith: ‘Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God hath prepared for them that love him’—that is, carnal eyes, carnal sense, and carnal thoughts; weighing that place with the context, that seemeth to be the meaning. To an ordinary reason, or eye, or ear, things would not appear so. Now, because this rule is general, I shall a little restrain it by these particulars.

    1.      Do not cast away anything of Christ because it is despised or discountenanced. Take heed, a saint may suffer under a reproachful name. Christ was a despised branch, a root out of a dry ground; and Christianity was contemned because of the ill name and common cry against it. Most Christians offend in blind zeal; they condemn things before they have tried them. Though the censure be right, it is ill in thee. Nicodemus suggested good advice: ‘Doth our law judge any man before it hear him, and know what he doth?’ It was a pharisaical spirit to take up a prejudice, and not to be willing to hear what might be said for it. It was the misery of the primitive Christians that they could not be heard to speak out. Nolentes audirequodauditumdamnarenonpossunt—men are unwilling to hear that which they are resolved to condemn as soon as heard. It would be confutation enough if men did but know the beauty of the ways of religion. It is always this hasty zeal which rejecteth things upon public scorn without due trial: examine first and then speak. Though it be a despised and unlikely way, it is like thou mayest find somewhat of God in it.

    2.      Because it is an afflicted way. Afflicted godliness is a great prejudice. But remember God never intended that truth should be known by pomp, nor condemned or disallowed for the troubles that accompany it. The drift of Christianity is to take us off from the hopes and fears of the present world; therefore he that liketh Christ and Ms promises is not likely to be separated from him by persecution.

    3.      Because poor men are of that way, those that have the meanest parts, and no outward excellencies: Mat. xi. 26, ‘At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.’ The Jesuits have charged it upon the ministers of France, that they were poor. So in Salvian’s time; Cogunturessemali,nevileshabeantur—men would not be religious, because they would not be ranked among poor men. So the Albigenses were called the poor men of Lyons. Usually the priests’ lips preserve knowledge, but sometimes God worketh extraordinem. A simple laick nonplussed a bishop at the council of Nice, and many that were very mean in the world were martyrs.

    4.      Because thou mayest seem to hazard thy wisdom by closing with it. ‘If any man seem to be wise, let him become a fool that he may be wise.’ Thus I have despatched the first observation, namely, that Christ’s meanness in his person and kingdom is the great hindrance against the entertainment of him; few or none believed. ‘For he shall grow up as a tender plant.’

    I come now to insist upon the second point, which is this:—

    Doct. 2, That though Christ’s meanness be a great hindrance against the entertainment of him, yet, it is by the special appointment of God. He shall grow up before him. God orders it that the Messiah should come in such a manner. I shall be brief in handling this point. There is nothing about Christ but fell under God’s decree, and the special care of his providence. All the circumstances of his birth, the time, place, manner of every action, you have some instance of it. The counsel of God brought it to pass, and the scripture was frequently quoted, ‘that that might be fulfilled which was spoken concerning him;’ yea, the most malicious actions of the enemies are spoken of as appointed by God, as particularly their spite to him in his death: ‘Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.’ Judas delivered him, Pilate delivered him, and God delivered him. ‘For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, and the Gentiles, were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.’ Acts iv. 27, 28. ‘Whom being delivered by the counsel of God.’ This was God’s grand contrivance; here was his πολυποιḓκιλος σοφία, ‘the manifold wisdom of God.’ Eph. iii. 10. So St Paul calleth the wise disposition of our salvation by Christ: ‘Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh.’ This was the great mystery. When a man is to make some rare engine, he will look to every screw and wheel, that all is set and ordered right. Here was God’s great masterpiece, in which he would show himself, and the great copy of his eternal thoughts. That is the reason.

    This point affordeth us many useful considerations, as this decree of God may be referred—

    1.      To Christ.

    2.      To the wicked.

    3.      To the godly.

    1.      To Christ. God decreed this, and Christ fulfilled it. It is a wonder to see how all things did conspire to make Christ conform in every thing to God’s counsel concerning him. As, for instance, in Augustus his decree, which caused Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem, where she was delivered. It would be too long to give you the history of the gospel. Many providences did meet, that all things whatever God had decreed might come to pass. Admire therefore the manifold wisdom of God in contriving these things.

    2.      In respect of the wicked. God appointed this meanness of Christ before them. Before them he shall rise up. God punisheth sin by occasions of sin. God may be said to harden sinners three ways:—(1.) By leaving them to themselves, as it is said, he left the Gentiles to their own ways, Acts xiv. 16; (2.) By permitting them to enter into them; (3.) By presenting to them such objects from whence their corruption taketh occasion to sin, though they were things good in themselves; as Jer. vi. 21, ‘I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people.’ The Jews argue that Christ is not the Messiah, because he did not come in such a way as to satisfy all his countrymen. God would have Christ mean that all might not believe in him, though not to cause sin, but to promote his just judgments. So God’s cause and Christ’s ways have difficulty enough in them to harden them. God pursueth his secret judgments upon them. Admire, therefore, and fear God’s judgments on the wicked. It was by the special appointment of God that it was so mean.

    3.      For the godly. God appointed all the meanness of Christ for their sakes, for whom it is a double comfort.

    [1.] From the eternity of God’s thoughts towards them. Christ from before all worlds was appointed to be a captain of salvation through many sufferings, and to undergo many hardships for your sakes. This length of love is a great refreshment to the spirit; and when the soul reflects upon the meanness of Christ as the effect of God’s eternal thoughts of mercy to it, it is the more encouragement to believe. ‘Christ verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for you.’ He would have them established in that as a sure truth.

    [2.] It is a comfort to them in their meanness; it is that which is appointed. They shall be conformable to their Head in this respect. They shall undergo no condition but what God from all eternity had decreed for them: Col. i. 24; Paul and all the godly are said to fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ in their flesh. The church and Christ make but one body; that which they suffer, he suffers; that which he suffereth, they suffer. The sufferings of the godly are appointed as well as Christ’s meanness.

    I now proceed to the third observation, namely:—

    Doct. 3. That this meanness of Christ was willingly taken up by him both in his birth and life and manner of appearing among men.

    1.      In his birth.