and of itself can only give
testimony to his humanity, yet I conceive these are here alleged for both,
even also to witness his glorious and divine nature, which though it did
not fall under sight and handling, yet it discovered itself to be latent,
under that visible covering of flesh, by sensible effects, no less than
the spirit of man, which is invisible, manifests its presence in the body,
by such operations sensible, as can proceed from no other principle. And
therefore, this faithful witness adds, "which we have looked upon," which
relates not only to the outward attention of the eyes, but points at the
inward intention, and affection of the heart. Our senses did bring in such
strange and marvellous objects to our minds, that we stood gazing, and
beheld it over and over again, looked upon it with reason, concluding what
it might be. We gave entertainment to our minds, to consider it wisely and
deliberately, and fastened our eyes, that we might detain our hearts, in
the consideration of such a glorious person. From this then ye have two
things clear. One is, that the Lord Jesus Christ was a true man, and that
his disciples had all possible evidence of it, which the history more
abundantly shows. He conversed with them familiarly, he eat and drank with
them, yea his conversation in the world was very much condescending in
outward behaviour to the customs of the world. He eat with Pharisees, when
they invited him he refused not, but he was more bold with publicans and
sinners, to converse with them, as being their greatest friend. He was
uncivil to none, would deter none through a rigid austere conversation,
and indeed, to testify the truth of his human nature, he came so low as to
partake of all human infirmities without sin, and to be subject to such
extraordinary afflictions and crosses, as to the eyes of the world did
quite extinguish his divine glory, and bury it in misbelief. This which we
speak of, as a testimony and evidence that he was man, was the very grand
stumbling block and offence of the Jews and Gentiles, which they made use
of as an evidence and certain testimony that he was not God. The evidence
of the one seems to give an evidence to the other. But let us consider
this, for it is a sweet and pleasant subject, if our hearts were suitably
framed to delight in it, that there was as much evidence to the conviction
of all men's senses, of his divine majesty, as of his human infirmity,--and
that there are