Thomas Manton · 26 of 57

The Second Verse. · Part 2

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.

[1.] For the time of it. It was when the royal stock of David was quite extinct, and even come so low that Joseph was but a carpenter by profession. ‘Is not this the carpenter’s son?’ And therefore is the genealogy of Joseph and Mary so carefully sought out by the evangelist, because it was not commonly and publicly known that they were of that lineage. The throne of David was occupied by Herod, who was an Ascalonite; he was Ἐπὶ φόροις τεταγμένος, rather an observer of the tribute than a king.

[2.] The place, Bethlehem, a small place, not able to make up one division in Israel, the least of the thousands of Judah. A man would have thought he should have been born in some great city, as Rome or Jerusalem. No; but he chose to be born in Bethlehem, and suffered at Jerusalem: he had the least place to be born, but the greatest to suffer in. And then again, he was not born in any stately room at Bethlehem, but in a stable, nay, in a manger in the stable. Christ would have all mean at his birth.

[3.] Consider how in everything he was found in shape like another child, being circumcised the eighth day. He submitted to the law as soon as he was born into the world, to teach his followers obedience.

[4.] Consider the oblation that was made for him, such as was made for poor people—a pair of turtle-doves and two young pigeons, the poor’s offering. Those that were not able to bring a lamb were to bring two turtles and two young pigeons, and that was accepted for an atonement. Thus much for his birth: yet we may observe there was something divine still mingled with Christ’s outward meanness, as the appearing of the star, the trouble of the Jews, the wise men’s report and offerings. By these things God would leave them without excuse, and under this poverty discover some glimpses of the deity.

2. Now for his life and manner of appearance in the world. He was altogether found in fashion as a man, as the apostle saith; that is, to outward appearance just as other men, for his growth was as other men’s, by degrees: ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’ Though he had a most perfect divine soul given him at first, yet as he grew in stature he exercised and discovered the vigour of his faculties, which is there called increasing in knowledge, showing forth in his several ages more degrees of knowledge, that in all things he might conform to us. It would be too large for me to insist upon everything, therefore briefly take it thus:—His life was spent in much toil and labour, going to and fro; nay, and probably too, in mean labour, in his father’s trade: Mark vi. 3, ‘Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?’ Not only the carpenter’s son, but the carpenter. In his younger time he exercised that trade, as Justin Martyr, a most ancient historian, whites: he made yokes and ploughs. And when he put himself upon the way and duty of his ministry, he was in much want and penury; he was an hungry, Mat. iv. 2; thirsty, John iv. 6; without house and home: Mat. viii. 20, ‘Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.’ Yea, so poor was he, that he had not wherewith to pay his poll-money for his head to the Romans, Mat. xvii. 27; therefore Peter is fain to go to the sea and catch a fish. I will not touch upon those that especially take in his suffering, that will fall in the next verse; only take notice how he was hunted up and down by the pharisees, how he was scorned and derided by them, so far as it reflects upon his weakness, as Luke xvi. 14, ἐξεμυκτήριζον,—they blew their nose at him in great scorn, as the word may be rendered. Nay, when he would show any royalty, and come as a king to Sion, he came riding upon the foal of an ass, Mat. xxi. 5.

Use 1. Oh, then be exhorted—

1. To admire the love of God, that he should stoop to such a low condition for your sakes. Here is a large field for meditation; expatiate your thoughts, then, and trace Christ in all the history of his life, from the cradle to the grave, from the stable to Golgotha, and see what a mean and contemptible life he led.

2. Faithfully apply it, and say, All this was done for my good. The scriptures do not only take notice of Christ’s humiliation, but of the very end of it. Most read the history of Christ as a man would do a romance, to be a little affected with it for a time; they take notice what is done, but not why; there is not that faithful appropriation: Gal. iv. 4, 5, ‘When the fulness of time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem us that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.’ Mark the end, and say, This was done for me; for us is too general. Why was Christ so mean? It was that I might be rich: 2 Cor. viii. 9, ‘For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich;’ rich in grace, and rich in comfort, Πτωχὸς, the word signifieth he became a beggar, not that he did beg, but he lived in continual need of a supply, and would sometimes put forth some glimpses of his divinity to command his welcome: Luke xix. 5, ‘Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for to-day I must abide at thy house.’ Yet I say, Christ put himself upon this meanness for our sakes. Speciosus prae filiis hominum, obscuratur pro filiis hominum, saith Bernard. It is for our sakes that he who is altogether lovely in himself had no form, that we might be made lovely and beautiful; he was without comeliness, that his church might be comely, without spot or wrinkle, as the apostle speaketh, Eph. v. 27. He was besmeared with blood, that the church might be without spot. It is good to observe that Christ’s meanness was not only in judgment, for a stumbling-block to the wicked, but in mercy to the godly. If he had discovered his deity at first, he had never suffered, and then the work of our redemption had stood still. It is a good observation of St Austin, quoted by Aquinas, Dum omnia mirabiliter fecit, auferret quod misericorditer fecit—if he had done all things wonderfully, he had done nothing mercifully. Christ’s meanness, as it is a great mercy to mankind, see that it be so to you.

Use 2. Is information. It informeth us, then:—

1. That poverty and meanness is not disgraceful. Christ himself was a carpenter, Paul a tent-maker, and the apostles fishermen. Christ, you see, scorned that glory, pomp, and greatness which the world doteth upon. Men look upon the outside as if the horse were the better for the trappings, or anything without a man could ennoble him: Prov. xix. 1, ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips.’ A man is rightly esteemed by his internal qualifications. One holy saint is to be preferred above all the rich men that abound in the greatest affluence of estate and pomp. It should be so with all, much more with the godly. It is a reproach to Christ to contemn any man for his poverty, because he is meaner in the world than we: Prov. xiv. 31, ‘He that despiseth the poor reproacheth his Maker.’ Can I believe that ever you would honour Christ, who despise the poor? Would you not him too? He that despiseth the poor reproacheth his Saviour. It is the most contrary affection to the Christian religion.

2. It informs us that poverty should not be irksome to us. Christ underwent it before you; his apostles were base in the world’s eye: 1 Cor. iv. 13, ‘We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things;’ counted the scurf of the earth. Christ chose this kind of life, a holy meanness, and therefore be not troubled. Poverty is a great burden, I confess, and layeth a man open to many a disadvantage,—scorn, contempt, and refusal. But consider, Christ hath honoured it in his own person, and he honoureth it to this very day. If there be any respect of persons with God, he respecteth the poor, and reveals most of himself to them: ‘The poor receive the gospel.’ Mat. xi. 5; ‘I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord,’ Zeph. iii. 12. God hath provided for the esteem of all his servants. What is wanting one way is more plentifully supplied in another; so that those that have the least outward esteem, are justly accounted the most excellent. Every condition, I confess, hath its snares, but poverty hath least. This disposeth the soul to hearken to divine things, that their outward defects may be made up in some inward excellency. Everything naturally seeketh after a supply of its wants; and therefore, as it is in outward things, persons that are themselves deformed are most deeply stricken with the love of beauty in others, that they may cover their own wants by linking themselves with that abundance of perfection that they spy in them; so the godly poor are more disposed to hearken to religion, because more sensible of their defects, that the meanness of their outward estate may be covered and satisfied for by the riches of those graces that are in their souls. And indeed, as these are fitter to receive a manifestation, so God doth most manifest himself to them: the first report that was made of Christ was made to shepherds and poor swains. Therefore on these accounts poverty is not so irksome.

Use 3. Is instruction. It teacheth us divers lessons:—Was Christ both in birth and manner of appearance in the world mean? Then—

1. It teacheth us humility, that he should empty himself of all his glory, and live in a mean estate. The apostle sets out this pattern excellently: Phil. ii. 6-8, ‘Who, being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form, of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ He divested himself of all his royalty, that he might teach us this pattern of humility. Most men love to live to the utmost,—in a proud, pompous way, and disdaining of others. You see Christ, when he might have discovered majesty, held forth nought but poverty. And, indeed, it was principally to teach us this lesson: Mat. xi. 29, ‘Learn of me, for I am meek, and lowly of heart.’ He doth not say, Learn of me, quia potens; but, Learn of me, quia humilis sum—not, Learn of me, for I am powerful; but, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. Christ is not to be imitated in his power, but he is to be imitated in his graces. Not, Learn of me to do miracles, to create the world; but, to be lowly and humble-minded. This is the great pattern and copy that God hath set us, to wit, humility.

2. To be mean and low for Christ, as he was for you. Christ was poor that you might be rich—rich in peace, joy, comfort, salvation. Can you find such a rare instance as would be poor for Christ that he may be rich in his glory, in his ordinances, in the safety of his servants? We have read of many that have been poor for their lusts, they have prodigally lavished away their estates upon their pleasures; but very few have been poor for Christ: Phil. ii. 5; ‘Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus.’ The apostle applieth it to humility, and we may also to the same purpose. Do you have as bountiful a disposition to God as Christ had for you? Can anything be too much for him? If a man truly serveth God, he would come as near him as possibly he could. Well, Christ cast away his glory for you; do you cast away your riches for Christ, not by a vowed poverty, but by a voluntary laying out yourselves for his word, his cause, and gospel? It is not waste where all is due; and indeed nothing is lost that is laid out upon God: Mat. x. 39, ‘He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.’ Therefore, if you do, as Ahaz’s dial, go back ten degrees in your estate or outward pomp, the nearer will you come to the pattern. There is one who has quitted more for you than you can possibly quit for him. But I shall proceed to the next doctrine.

Doct. 4. That Christ is so outwardly mean, that the men of the world do not any way desire him, or that carnal men do see nothing in Christ wherefore they should desire him. To his spouse he is all beauty, ‘altogether lovely;’ but to them there was no beauty why they should desire him.

The reasons of the point are these:—

1. Because carnal men neglect the study of Christ; their hearts are so taken with the things of sense, and the beauty of the creatures, that they do not look any further. We are riot much affected with an unknown beauty; things that we know only by a general hearsay do not work upon us. Christ must be in our thoughts before, he can be in our desires. The Jews looked upon Christ’s outside, and therefore minded him no further. So men hear of Christ in a slight way; so far as they know him by the common noise and report, so far they close with him. But they do not see why they should desire him, and slight apprehensions stir up but weak affections. The spouse displayeth every part of Christ, to work upon her bowels: Cant. v. 10-16, ‘My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold; his locks are bushy, and as black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and finely set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers; his lips like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings, set with the beryl; his belly is as bright ivory, overlaid with sapphires; his legs are as pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold. His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth, is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.’ The apostle wondereth that the Galatians should not obey the truth, when Jesus Christ was evidently set forth and crucified among them before their eyes, Gal. iii. 1. It was so in the word, but not in their thoughts. Men’s hearts are wedded to the creatures, and so the breasts of their own roe satisfy them, and therefore they do not gaze upon other beauties.

2. Because they reject Christ; he is not for their turn; nay, he is quite contrary to their ends. Carnal men have not all the same ends, but they all agree in this, their ends are carnal. Those that would not come to the wedding-supper, some had their farm, some their merchandise to mind, another had married a wife, and therefore could not come; all said, they could not come: Mat. xxii. 5, ‘They all made light of it, and went their ways.’ So they all despised Jesus Christ. Some wicked men make riches their end. Now see what Christ saith: Mat. xix. 24, ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’ It is by the great power of God that a rich man is saved, as it followeth, ‘All things are possible with God.’ Now Christ is not for a rich man’s turn. Christianity furnisheth men with precepts, not only against unjust gain, but mere desires of gain, or delight in gain. It contains precepts, that the kingdom of God is to be sought first, and his righteousness. And we are to look to these things from God for an additional supply: Mat. vi. 32, ‘After these things do the Gentiles seek.’ It is not a Christian but a paganish spirit that maketh men so inordinate in the pursuit of gain. Then for honour, preferment, or applause, the scripture is peremptory against it: John v. 44, ‘How can ye believe, who seek honour one of another, and not the honour that cometh from God only?’ This pursuing of glory, honour, and renown is incompatible with a Christian affection. The force of the argument lieth thus: How can those that seek honour believe in him that contemneth honour? Only he is fit to believe in God that maketh eternal life the end of his desires and endeavours, which is called the glory that cometh from God. The like argument is used by the apostle: Gal. i. 10, ‘For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.’ He did not labour to frame his doctrine and life so as might be pleasing and suitable to the affections of men. Pride and ambition are the most unsuitable affections to religion that can be. There is such an antipathy between what God liketh and men like, that it is impossible they should be in the same soul. Then for pleasures; there are men that have quit human nature, and are so far from desiring Christ, that they do not desire a free use of their reason. Reason is not for their turn, and therefore certainly religion is not. This is the very affection that is in the brute beasts. They have some general object, a sensual good, only they differ in the particular modification of the object. Beasts are for grass and water, these for meats and drinks. All the use they make of their reason is to be more curious than the beasts in their choice; and therefore Christ is not for their ends: ‘Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life,’ Mat. vii. 13. It is spoken specially in opposition to the voluptuous. The ways of God are fenced up with thorns to them: Prov. xv. 19, ‘The way of a slothful man is an hedge of thorns.’ Everything is grievous and troublesome that requireth care and diligence. Thus they reject Christ because he is not suitable to them. To apply it now.

Use 1. It serveth for information, to teach us the difference between God’s people and carnal men. To God’s people he is all their desire; to carnal persons there is nothing desirable in him. It is good to observe their several verdicts of him: 1 Peter ii. 7, ‘To you that believe he is precious, but to them that be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence.’ To the world he is base and ignominious: Ps. xxii. 6, ‘A worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of the people.’ To the spouse, glorious and full of allurements: Ps. xlv. 2, ‘Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips.’ To the world he appeared deformed and contemptible: Isa. lii. 14, ‘Many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men;’ but quite contrary to the spouse: Cant. v. 10, ‘My beloved is the fairest of ten thousand.’ The Hebrew word signifieth an ensign-bearer. In the world’s view there is no form nor comeliness in him; he is without beauty. To the spouse he is ‘altogether lovely.’ Cant. v. 16. Well, then, you see here is the true differencing note between us and the men of the world, whether we see anything in Christ why we should desire him. And it is both an inclusive and an exclusive mark. Some marks are inclusive; that is, if a man find them in him, he may be sure he is in Christ; but if not, he is not to determine he is out of Christ. As the eminent and vigorous workings of holy graces, they do not take in every state of Christianity, they do not take in the infancy of grace. Other marks are exclusive; that is thus, they knock off the fingers of pretenders, and serve to show a man out of grace, but not in. As frequenting of the ordinances, a care of duty; if a man doth not these things, he may be sure he is none of God’s, though he cannot be sure he is of God because he doth them. But now this is a mark that is inclusive and exclusive too. It is inclusive, for if your desires be to Christ, no doubt he is yours. It is a true mark, and a mark that is compatible to the weakness of grace. It is a true mark, for God looketh to the heart more than to the duty: Prov. xxiii. 26, ‘My son, give me thy heart.’ And desires are the chiefest part of that. De sires are most genuine and suitable to the judgment and determination of the soul. They are a mark in which God’s weakest servants may comfort themselves. Those that fail in other things are not wanting in desires. However they may have many defects in their carnage and in their duties, yet they are sure their desires are towards him. If they cannot be much in duty, they will be much in their desires and valuations of him. Peter, that durst not appeal to his own conscience for other things, dareth appeal to God’s omnisciency for this: John xxi. 17, ‘Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.’ And the people of God often vouch this: Isa. xxvi. 8, ‘The desire of our soul is to thy name;’ Neh. i. 11, ‘Thy servants who desire to fear thy name.’ Therefore it is comfortable, and it is convincing too, and exclusive. Wicked men feel no desires; they have some slight wishes, carnal and weak velleities, but they have no serious desires, nor true volitions. Balaam may wish to die the death of the righteous, Num. xxiii. 10. So they may desire Christ out of some general conceit of happiness; but they do not desire Christ for holiness. So there is no beauty in him why we should desire him. They do not desire him as seeing any beauty in his ways: John vi. 34, ‘Lord, evermore give us this bread.’ When Christ said he was the bread of life, those that would not come to Christ would fain have the bread of life. Nay, heaven itself is not really desired by wicked men; it is true, they may desire it in a carnal way, as a Turkish paradise, and such a place of ease and delight as the Alcoran sets forth; but not as it is in itself, to enjoy God, and Christ, and more grace, and to be more free and undisturbed in respect of the prevailing of sin and corruptions. Those that desire Christ truly, desire him not for ease (the spirit of the world may do that), but from the beauty and excellency they find in him, and in his ways. His service is of a high and honourable nature, and therefore they desire it. So that you see here is the note of trial, and the main difference, viz., a desiring of Christ for the rare beauty and perfections that are found in him. Do you, then, try yourselves by this note. But that you may not deceive yourselves in this matter, I will give you a few notes. I will not speak anything of the cause of desires. A high value and price set upon Christ, and a seeing rich beauties in him, of that I shall speak in the next verse. I shall only treat now of the effects of this desire. If it be earnest and strong after him, it will be manifested by these things.