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Looking at salvation in its primary result-as deliverance from the condemnation due to sin and restoration to the Divine favour, it was needful in the wisdom of God that man should be "justified" in order to his being pardoned; that one should be found who, by his perfect obedience in man's nature, might become entitled to recover his forfeited blessings and at the same time vindicate the Law which he had broken by fulfilling all the conditions of humanity: first "fulfilling all righteousness;" and then, as "the righteous One," expiating the guilt of man's sin by submitting to the sentence of death denounced against it: that, in the words of the Apostle, "as by the offence of one judgment came

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upon all men to condemnation, even so by the "righteousness of one the free gift might come upon "all men unto justification of life" (Rom. v. 18.): and thus, as the same Apostle says (ib. iii. 25), God might "declare His righteousness for the remission" "(or "in the remitting) of sins that are past. 'might be just and the justifier of him that believeth;" that is, of man standing in this New Head of life and receiving of Him.

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But where was such an one to be found? who could thus "lay-hold-on" the nature of man, fallen and sinking into perdition; and raise, restore, and justify it? This Day's commemoration answers

the question. For this end "the Word was made flesh;" as we learn from Phil. ii. 6-8, which thus expounds this mystery:-" Who, being in the form "of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with "God; but made himself of no reputation, and took 66 upon him the form of a servant, and was made in "the likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as

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a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient "unto death, even the death of the cross:" and again, Heb. ii. 14-16, "Forasmuch then as the "children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also "himself likewise took part of the same; that through "death he might destroy him that had the power of

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death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who 66 through fear of death were all their lifetime subject "to bondage. For verily he took not on him the "nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of "Abraham :" or literally, with the margin, “He "taketh not hold of Angels, but of the seed of Abra"ham He taketh hold;" that is, as just said, to raise up and save it.*

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While, as none other could recover for man so none other could sustain-could secure to the nature so raised stability. For, man in his best estate had fallen and Angels (as intimated in the last quoted * λaμßávμa, 'To take by the hand,' and so 'To raise up, help, &c.'

passage) had fallen-proving that no creature has in itself consistency or goodness. But both are HIS who has taken the human nature into the Divine in Himself that He might both justify it and sustain it everlastingly establishing an indefeasible Title for all who are willing to inherit through Him, and to receive "the gift by grace which is by one man, "Jesus Christ," and which "hath abounded unto "many" as did the sin of one unto death; (Rom. v. 15.)

II. But there is yet another and a richer "grace" than this of pardon and justification possessed in its "fulness" by Christ that we may "receive of it " -of which He is the fountain to those who believe in Him: namely, that to which, under this same emblem, He alluded in His memorable conversation with the woman of Samaria, chap. iv. of this gospel, when He said, "If thou knewest the gift of God and "who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou "wouldst have asked of him and he would have given "thee living water" (verse 10.): and again, pointing to Jacob's well, verses 13, 14,-"Whosoever drinketh "of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever "drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall

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never thirst; but the water that I shall give him "shall be in him a well of water springing up into

"everlasting life:" the import of which gracious gift we are not left to conjecture-that we have here, not merely (as sometimes said) an emblem of the peace which is the result of justification satisfying the craving of the conscience, but a still better thing, even, as explained in another passage, chap. vii. 37-39, in connexion with the renewed promise of this same "living water" to all who are athirst and come to Him to drink,-the gift of the Holy Spirit of God:-"But this," adds the Evangelist, spake He of the Spirit which they that believe "on Him should receive:" which dwells in Him "without measure" that we might receive of it in

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measure.

And, as from the fulness of the grace of righteousness in Christ we have justification, so out of the fulness of this grace in Him-the grace of the Holy Spirit-we receive regeneration, as stated ver. 1113 of this chapter before us :- "He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But as many "as received him, to them gave He power to become "the sons of God, even to them that believe on His 66 name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will "of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God:” and this, observe, as another result from, and another object of THE INCARNATION, as is evident from the connexion with the verse next following (14)—" and

the Word was made flesh,"-("became" or "was born,” the same word as in ver. 12)-" and dwelt among us full of grace and truth,. and truth, . . . and of His fulness have all we received even grace answering to grace:"

-a most important connexion too generally lost sight of owing to a teaching which represents the regenerating Spirit as 'the purchase of Christ for us,' instead of "the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" imparted and communicated-" the Spirit of Christ" making us "His," according to Rom. viii. 9, "Ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His :". and, in union with Him, children of God, ib. ver. 14; "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God:"-and again, in the Epistle for the Sunday after Christmas, Gal. iv. 6, "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Of which truth we have a further remarkable recognition in the Collect for this Festival which prays thus, Almighty God who hast given us Thy only'begotten Son to take our nature upon Him and to 'be born of a pure virgin; Grant that we, being regenerate and made Thy children by adoption and ' grace, may daily be renewed by Thy Holy Spirit :' that is, we 'being regenerated' by the same Spirit by

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