The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

The second branch of the description of the glorious person of this holy Child Jesus, who was preparing to be made a Sacrifice to God for the sin of man, is expressed in these words, [He waxed strong in spirit] his humane nature was made under the guidance and governance of the Law, as Adam was in his first creation; that he might fulfil the law to the full satisfaction of rewarding justice, and receive the blessed inheritance of life according to the covenant of works as a reward of his meritorious obedience, and all this as a public person, a second Adam; in which the first Adam failed and fell short. Which glorious work, when he had finished he was to offer up himself to God, and dye for the sin of Adam and all the effects of it. So that this holy child Jesus was educated and trained up, in, and for a double service by active obedience, meritoriously to keep the law, and obtain the life promised in the covenant of works, from the hand of rewarding justice: and by passive obedience, meritoriously to satisfy vindictive justice for the offence of man. That he might do and perform all this, as his humane nature, both ⟨p. 23⟩body and soul gr•w, and passed from infancy to childhood, from childhood to youth, and from youth to ripe age; and all this under the Rule of Obedience to the law of God. So in the second place, it is said, [he waxed strong in spirit] I yet see not but that I may adventure to call the first of these his natural growth▪ and the second his moral growth; it is not a soul growth only, but his body grew also in fitness to be serviceable to his holy soul and spirit; therefore it is a growth of the whole man. The same word is said of John, Luk. 1.80. but it must be understood with great difference, according as their persons differed in eminency. Jo•n grew as a son of fallen Adam when regenerated doth grow. Jesus grew as the son of God, that touched not, tasted not of the fall of Adam. But as Adam in innocency should ha•e grown, and much more eminently, John grew according to the measure of his capacity. Jesus grew in a wonderful higher measure of capacity. John had the spirit according to his measure, which was great in comparison of them that went before him: but Jesus had the spirit without measure.