a word, that which
comprehendeth all wonders in the creation,--who made all things,--be himself
made of a woman! and God become a man, and all this out of his infinite
love, to give a demonstration of love to the world; so high a person
abased, to exalt so base and low as we are! There is a mystery in this, a
great mystery, a mystery of wisdom, to swallow up the understanding with
wonder; and a mystery of love, to ravish the hearts of men with
affection,--depths of both, in the emptiness of the Son of God. The prophet
doubted what was commanded, to seek a sign, whether in heaven above, or in
the depth beneath; but what he would not ask, God gave in his great mercy,
"Behold a virgin shall conceive a Son, and they shall call his name
Immanuel;" a sign indeed from heaven, and the height of heaven, because he
is God; and a sign from the depth beneath too, because he is man; "God
with us," and so composed to unite heaven and earth together; "God with
us," that he might at length bring us to be with God. He became
_Immanuel_, that he might make us _Immelanu_.(299) If that was given as
tidings of great joy, and as the highest and deepest sign of love and
favour, at that time to uphold the fainting church; O! how much more may
it now comfort us, when it is not a virgin shall conceive, but a virgin
hath conceived! May not the joy be increased, that the Redeemer is not to
come, but come already, and hath made up that wide separation which was
between us and him, by his low condescendency to his union with our
nature! This is one step of advancement towards that happy marriage, that
the whole creation seems to groan and travail for, Rom. viii. 22. But yet
there is a great difficulty in the way. We are in a state of captivity; we
are prisoners of justice, have sold ourselves and our happiness; and now
our natural inheritance lies in the lake of fire and brimstone,--heirs of
wrath, concluded under the curse of God; and indeed, this was insuperable
to all flesh; neither men nor angels could ransom us from this. The
redemption of the soul of man is so precious, and the redemption of the
inheritance of man, that is, heaven, is so precious too, that none in
heaven or earth can be found, that can pay the price of them, so that it
would have ceased for ever. And here the great design of Christ's union
with sinners would have been marred and miscarried, if himself had not
undertaken to overcome this too; and indeed, as there could none be fo