1Thirdly, The way to Heaven by Jacob's Ladder, ought to be beheld with the greatest Admiration in respect of the Matter of which it is made; all Ladders (as well as all other things) consist of matter and form, — But, O what is the Matter with which this divine Ladder is made! I answer it is the Son of God made Man, even he that made the Woman, made of a Woman; is not this wonderful, to see the Ancient of Days, become a Babe of a Day Old? is it not a marvellous thing, To see him that was in the form of God, 2and that thought it not Robbery to be equal with God, to be in the form of a Servant, and to lye in a Man•er• To see him that made the Creature, to be trod underfoot of the Creature, and hel• in scorn and contempt, and dishonoured, to raise such as we so the highest honour? Is it not an amazing thing, to see Jesus made a Curse to raise Sinners from under the Curse to eternal Bl•••edness? We account that a marvellous thing that is New, a thing that none ever did, nor could do the like; For the Lord hath created a new thi•• in the Earth, a Woman shall compass a Man. 3A Child Created, not Begotten, but Created in the Virgin's Womb by the Lord, ⟨p. 75⟩is not that a marvellous thing? and above the Reason or Understanding of men, though of the deepest Judgment, Wisdom, and Knowledge, that ever lived upon the Earth? But such is the Incarnation of Christ, and the Hypostatical Union of the Two Natures in that One Person; no man by reason can Comprehend h•w th•s could be. My •••thren, this is a mysterious Ladder, and made of a •••derful Materials: Is it not an amazing thing, that God should give his own Son a Sacrifice for Rebels,4 such that hated him? and that God should purchase the Church with his own Blood? Is it not a marvellous thing, that the King upon the Throne should lay aside his Robes, and dye for cursed Traitors, and contemptible Beggars? Is not that a wonderful thing which Non-plusses all the Wisdom of Men and Angels? Is it not a wonderful thing that God and Man, or the divine and humane Nature should be so united to be but one Person? and is it not strange and wonderful that vile Sinners should be made Righteous by the Righteousness of another? and that sinful Man should be clothed with a more glorious Robe than any of the holy Angels of Heaven have? Is it not a marvellous thing, that Death should be overcome and destroyed by Death?
1Thirdly, The way to Heaven by Jacob's Ladder, ought to be beheld with the greatest Admiration in respect of the Matter of which it is made; all Ladders (as well as all other things) consist of matter and form, — But, O what is the Matter with which this divine Ladder is made! I answer it is the Son of God made Man, even he that made the Woman, made of a Woman; is not this wonderful, to see the Ancient of Days, become a Babe of a Day Old? is it not a marvellous thing, To see him that was in the form of God, 2and that thought it not Robbery to be equal with God, to be in the form of a Servant, and to lye in a Man•er• To see him that made the Creature, to be trod underfoot of the Creature, and hel• in scorn and contempt, and dishonoured, to raise such as we so the highest honour? Is it not an amazing thing, to see Jesus made a Curse to raise Sinners from under the Curse to eternal Bl•••edness? We account that a marvellous thing that is New, a thing that none ever did, nor could do the like; For the Lord hath created a new thi•• in the Earth, a Woman shall compass a Man. 3A Child Created, not Begotten, but Created in the Virgin's Womb by the Lord, ⟨p. 75⟩is not that a marvellous thing? and above the Reason or Understanding of men, though of the deepest Judgment, Wisdom, and Knowledge, that ever lived upon the Earth? But su•h is the Incarnation of Christ, and the Hypostatical Union of the Two Natures in that One Person; no man by reason can Comprehend h•w th•s could be. My •••thren, this is a mysterious Ladder, and made of a •••derful Materials: Is it not an amazing thing, that God should give his own Son a Sacrifice for Rebels,4 such that hated him? and that God should purchase the Church with his own Blood? Is it not a marvellous thing, that the King upon the Throne should lay aside his Robes, and dye for c•rsed Traytors, and contemptible Beggers? Is not that a wonderful thing which Non-plusses all the Wisdom of Men and Angels? Is it not a wonderful thing that God and Man, or the divine and humane Nature should be so united to be but one Person? and is it not strange and wonderful that vile Sinners should be made Righteous by the Righteousness of another? and that sinful Man should be cloathed with a more glorious Robe than any of the holy Angels of Heaven have? Is it not a marvellous thing, that Death should be overcome and destroyed by Death?
- 1Christ to be admired in respect to his Person.
- 2Phil. 6.6•
- 3Jer. 31.22Ier. 31.22
- 4Acts 20, 27.28
