Chapter 40

Wherein answer is made to them▪ who object against the receiving of our Faith, that it teacheth mean and low things of God; and how in these mean things which God teacheth, most high glory is contained.

NEITHER yet, is there any reason to stumble at the humility, which the most high God took upon him; abasing himself to become man, to live in poverty, and to dye upon a Cross. For these works are not only not to be said unworthy of God, but they are most worthy, if they be well understood. Indeed, if he had abased himself because he could not choose; or if, by that abasement, he had lost the height which he had before; or if he had been moved to it, by any interest of such an abasement. But neither did he leave to be what he was, by taking that which he was not; nor came he from heaven to earth, by any constraint; nor was he induced by regard of profit; since God cannot increase in being rich: But¹ he was moved to it, by his own only goodness; and by the love, which he bore to men; and the desire which he had, to recover them by such means, as might be, of most glory to himself, and of most advantage to us.

And such was the means he took, by making himself man, and dying upon a Cross For there is not a greater sign of love, then that a man should die for his friends. Which love so excellent, did not spring from any desert of theirs, but from his own excellent goodness. So that his lowness, and his death, do not argue, in him, any want of power or goodness: For as much as he being omnipotent, and wholly wise, might have given us remedy by many means besides this; but it argueth in him, an immense excess of love, and goodness; and this so much the more, as God who loveth, and suffereth this, is the greater; and as that which he suffered was more grievous, and painful; and they for whom he suffered, were the more unworthy, and base. And since in loving such persons, his excellent goodness is manifested; this work is to be called a great height, since in spiritual things, high, and good, are all one; and when it is the more good, so much the more great, and high it is.

And since the greatest honour which we can do any man, is to hold him for good, more than for being valiant, or wise (for as much as no man; who is sensible of honour, doth not so desire it) it is evident, that since these works, do manifest his goodness and love, more than all the rest; they give him consequently, more honour; and they give it better, than all the rest. And² if in the opinion of ignorant persons, the abasement which God hath made of himselve, take honour from his dignity, and height; it ought in the judgement of wise men, to extol the honour of his goodness, and consequently of his height and greatness; and so he looseth neither the one, nor the other.

And not only, doth his goodness shine in these works, more than others, but so also doth his wisdom and power, & other his most wonderful attributes, appear therein. For amongst all the works which God hath wrought, or is to work, there is none equal, in being moruailous; nor is there to be found so great a miracle, as that God, should make himself man; and suffer afterward for man. And whosoever believeth not this, doth his best, to take from God, the greatest honour he hath; and greater then if he should take the honour that is due to him, for all the other works which he hath made, or is to make in³ Time. Consider well of this, and thou shalt discern how the omnipotency, and wisdom of Goth, doth shine in making two so different extremes, to meet in one, as are God and man in the unity of one person. And note, that his power is more declared, in combatting and conquering our sins, and death, by the arms of our weakness; then if he had overcome them with the weapons of his own omnipotency, as we said before, whilst we were speaking of despair. And⁴ consider, that when God continued in his greatness, he had but a small people that served him, and the same went also daily from him, to adore strange Gods; and even when it did not so, it served him yet with much weakness. But when God abased himself, so far as to be man, and to die for him; it made such deep impression, upon the minds of men, as that they, who were high, did abase themselves; and the weak, became strong; & the wicked good; and finally there grew so great a change over the world, as well in the destruction of idolatry, as in the renovation of life and manners; that the accomplishment of the word, which our Lord spoke, was plainly seen,⁵ When I shallbe exalted from the earth, and placed on the Cross, I will draw all things to myself. And so it appears, that he obtained that victory over the hearts of men, by baseness, weakness, torments, and death; which he obtained not, whilst he remained in the height of his Majesty. And thus was that fulfiled, which S. Paul⁶ saith, The weakness of God, is more than the strength of men. And so it also appeareth, that God doth not only gain the honour of goodness, but of wisdom & power also, by taking upon him our baseness, and by working that thereby, which he wrought not by his greatness.

For this it is, that S. Paul⁷ saith, That he is not ashamed to preach the Gospel, since it is the virtue of God, for the saving of men. For although this humanity, hunger, dishonour, torment, & death, be truly affirmed of God, yet there is no cause for a Christian to be ashamed thereof; since by means of these things, God obtained the conquest, over other things, that were so mighty, as are sin and death; and procured that man might obtain the grace of God, and his Kingdom, which are the greatest things, that could arrive to man. Hereby God gained more honour, then by having created heaven, and earth, and all that is therein. And therefore this work, is, for the eminency, and excellency of it, called the work of God; as our Lord said, This is my food, to do the will of my Father, in my finishing his work, which is the redemption of men. Not, but that God hath wrought other works; but because the In●ernation, and redemption which follow hereupon, is the greatest work of them all; and that which he prizeth most, as the thing whereby he receiveth most honour.

For⁸ although to have scourged Egypt, for the love of his people; and to have drawn it out from thence, & to have conducted it through the desert, did give honour to God, as Isaias saith; yet already thou canst not choose but see, which is the more high and heroical act of love, for God to whip his enemies, for the love of his people; or to suffer himself to be scourged in his own flesh, for the love both of his domestics, and of strangers, and both of his friends, and of his enemies. One thing it is, for God to carry his children through the desert, like an eagle that would teach his young ones how to fly; taking them up upon his shoulders, when they are weary, that so they might unweary themselves, whilst yet God groweth not weary thereby; and another thing it is, to overloade his own shoulders with a heavy Cross, (which did even slay them of their skin) together with all the sins of the whole world, which like the beam of a wynepresse, did strain him so far, as to deprive him of life upon the same Cross; and this, to the end that men might be out of pain.

Who is he that will not discern, that this was a most excellent heroical act of love, the like whereof was never seen; which gave more honour to God, than all that was passed. That other, was, to him, but a common thing; and there was no need of so great love, for the doing of it. But this later, was a business that would have been embraced by few; and hardly will there be found a man upon earth, who would suffer himself to be publicly whipped, or put to death, for any good man, or any friend. And yet, if such a man could be found, there would still be no comparison to be made, between that, and the much that our Lord did love, and suffer for us. For he hath no equal. Nor is it to be greatly merua●led at, if a Lion carry himself like a Lion; but that a Lion, should be content to suffer like a Lamb; and that the only cause thereof, should be his love; this is a business of a strange extent, and worthy of eternal honour.

And since in former times, they said, Let⁹ us sing unto our Lord, for he hath been magnified, in a glorious manner; Let us also say, with a most profound gratitude, Let us sing unto our Lord who hath been magnifyed, in a most humble manner. For as much, as formerly, God did neither abase himself, nor take pains in the ease which he gave us; nor, although he imparted riches, did he impoverish himself; but here he impoverished himself, he did sweat; yea he abased himself to death; and death of the Cross; to raise his servants from sin, and to conduct them to heaven; and he prevailed in his enterprise; and that which Isaias¹⁰ said, was fulfilled, that instead of the little shrub, there should grow the Fir-tree; and instead of the nettle, there should grow the myrtle. And that our Lord should be renowned, by an eternal token, which shall never be taken away. For the honour which God did gain, in placing of of this sign, which is the Cross, and to die thereon; and to make men good of bad; shall last for ever, and there shall none be able to overthrew it.

Footnotes

1. Note this well discourse, and learn to love God greatly, by it. ↩

2. In true account, nothing doth so exalt Christ our Lord as his abasement. ↩

3. Since the Creation of the world. ↩

4. An excellent discourse. ↩

5. lo. m. 1●. ↩

6. t. Cor. 1. ↩

7. Rom. 1. ↩

8. The same excellent discourse continued. ↩

9. Exod. 15. ↩

10. Isa. 55. ↩