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

Quest. Why did Jesus Christ undergo poverty, such deep poverty?

Quest. Why did Iesus Christ undergo poverty, such deep poverty?

Answ. 1. For the satisfaction of the vindictive justice of God for the sin of man, all sinless punishment which sin had deserved, and justly brought upon man, this Jesus Christ suffered, of which punishment poverty is a chief part. Adam was a rich Lord over the world, he had a great dominion, but upon his fall he was thrust out of Paradise, stripped of all his dominion, dignity, and glory, he was Lord of the world, but now an outcast, a poor beggar, he has nothing but what Gods mercy will bestow on him, he hangs upon every creature for relief, wool, hair, hides, flesh, and many other things he is necessitated to get from the creatures of God, for his relief, which are drops and branches of his lost dominion, and notwithstanding this beggarly condition of man, so foolish many are, to bedeck themselves in pride with these things which should be for their humbling. This second state of Adam, this poor punished condition did Jesus Christ take upon him, Phil, 2.7, 8. though equal with God, yet he became a stripped, bereaved, naked man, and of the poorest sort among them. This was a chief part of the sufferings of Jesus Christ for the sin of man, he bore this effect of Gods wrath upon fallen man, to bear it off and away from us.

Answ. 1. For the satisfaction of the vindictive justice of God for the sin of man, all sinless punishment which sin had deserved, and justly brought upon man, this Iesus Christ suffered, of which punishment poverty is a chief part. Adam was a rich Lord over the world, he had a great dominion, but upon his fall he was thrust out of Paradice, stripped of all his dominion, dignity, and glory, he was Lord of the world, but now an outcast, a poor beggar, he has nothing but what Gods mercy will bestow on him, he hangs upon every creature for relief, wool, hair, hides, flesh, and many other things he is necessitated to get from the creatures of God, for his relief, which are drops and branches of his lost dominion, and notwithstanding this beggarly condition of man, so foolish many are, to bedeck thems•lves in pride with these things which should be for their humbling. This second state of Adam, this poor punished condition did Iesus Christ take upon him, Phil, 2.7, 8. though equal with God, yet he became a stripped, bereaved, naked man, and of the poorest sort among them. This was a chief part of the sufferings of Iesus Christ for the sin of man, he bore this effect of Gods wrath upon fallen man, to bear it off and away from us.