XX. He was baptized as Man—but He
remitted sins as God Matt. iii. 13; ix. 6.—not because
He needed purificatory rites Himself, but that He might sanctify the
element of water. He was tempted as Man, but He conquered as God;
yea, He bids us be of good cheer, for He has overcome the
world. John xvi. 33. He
hungered—but He fed thousands; Ib. vi.
10. yea, He is the
Bread that giveth life, and That is of heaven. He
thirsted—but He cried, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me
and drink. Ib. vii.
37. Yea, He
promised that fountains should flow from them that
believe. He was wearied, but He is the Rest of them that are
weary and heavy laden. Matt. xi. 28. He was heavy
with sleep, but He walked lightly over the sea. Ib. viii.
24. He rebuked the winds, He made Peter
light as he began to sink. Ib. xiv.
25, 30. He pays
tribute, but it is out of a fish; Ib. xvii.
24. yea, He is the
King of those who demanded it. John xix. 19. He is called
a Samaritan and a demoniac; Ib. viii.
48.—but He saves
him that came down from Jerusalem and fell among thieves; Luke x. 30, etc. the demons acknowledge Him, and He drives
out demons and sinks in the sea legions of foul spirits, Luke viii. 28–33. and sees the Prince of the demons falling
like lightning. Ib. x.
18. He is stoned,
but is not taken. He prays, but He hears prayer. He weeps,
but He causes tears to cease. He asks where Lazarus was laid, for
He was Man; but He raises Lazarus, for He was God. John xi. 43. He is sold, and very cheap, for it is
only for thirty pieces of silver; Matt. xxvi. 15. but He redeems
the world, and that at a great price, for the Price was His own
blood. 1 Pet. i. 19. As a sheep He
is led to the slaughter, Isa. liii. 7. but He is the
Shepherd of Israel, and now of the whole world also. As a Lamb He
is silent, yet He is the Word, and is proclaimed by the Voice of one
crying in the wilderness. John i. 23. He is bruised
and wounded, but He healeth every disease and every infirmity. Isa. liii. 23. He is lifted up and nailed to the
Tree, but by the Tree of Life He restoreth us; yea, He saveth even the
Robber crucified with Him; Luke xxiii. 43. yea, He wrapped the
visible world in darkness. He is given vinegar to drink mingled
with gall. Who? He who turned the water into wine John ii. 1–11., who is the destroyer of the bitter taste,
who is Sweetness and altogether desire. Cant. v.
16. He lays down His life, but He has
power to take it again; John x. 18. and the veil is
rent, for the mysterious doors of Heaven are opened; the rocks are
cleft, the dead arise. Matt. xxvii. 51. He dies, but
He gives life, and by His death destroys death. He is buried, but
He rises again; He goes down into Hell, but He brings up the souls; He
ascends to Heaven, and shall come again to judge the quick and the
dead, and to put to the test such words as yours. If the one give
you a starting point for your error, let the others put an end to
it.