Clear, Incontrovertible Confession: Part Third

I would further say, that if some Scriptures could be produced to prove that “becoming” is taking unto one’s self; or that two persons and sons of different natures and minds can be one person and son; or that there was a true Son from the beginning who had not both father and mother; or that a son can be his father’s son, who is not of the father’s seed, then we might ponder upon their foundation a little further. But since they never produce such Scriptures, neither are they able to produce them; and since the Scriptures testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, therefore the testimony of John remains firm and immutable: “The Word is become flesh,” however much philosophers may dispute this.

Lastly I would say, That if the Word did not become flesh, but only took unto himself a man of Mary’s flesh, as our opponents assert, and if the same was used as an instrument to suffer for us, then it is manifest that Jesus Christ, a Son of his Father in truth (as John calls him), did not come in the flesh (corporatus as Castalion says), for were he to suffer himself, and not another in his stead, then he must come in the flesh, otherwise he could not have suffered. This is too clear to be contradicted. All those who deny this, are deceivers and anti-christs, 2 John 1: 7.

He further writes, “If he is holy why was he condemned for the sake of sin in the judgment of the Father?” At another place he also writes: “Christ partook of no other flesh than that which was subject to sin and death, that he might be tempted.”

Answer. If we are to understand his words as they read, then Christ, together with his holy flesh was subject to sin and death; this is incontrovertible. For he says, If he is holy why was he then condemned for sin under the judgment of the Father. Just as if he, was unholy, and guilty of death under the judgment, and deserving of the wrath and punishment of God. But this must be so too if we are to assert that the flesh of Christ was of Mary’s flesh. Therefore it is manifest from his words that the sin by which he was tempted dwelt in his flesh; and that thus he did not die, out of grace for us, but as one guilty, for himself. For the wages of sin is death.

O, dear Lord, If the poor Menno was to speak of the Son of God thus blasphemously, and were to include him in sin, O, what an unpleasant, bitter song would be sung about him! But whatever the learned dream and philosophize, must be accepted as right and good.

This, then, is my short reply to his words just cited, namely: Isaiah and Peter testify of him that he did not know sin, and that guile was not found in his mouth. Yea, dear reader, he was holy before his incarnation, holy in his incarnation, and will remain holy forever. For it was needful, that we should have such a high priest, who is holy, innocent and spotless, and who became higher than the heavens; for if he were not innnocent and holy, he could not have requited for our sins and guilt, but must have suffered for his own imperfections and guilt. But now the Scriptures testify that he was bruised for our iniquities and was stricken for our transgression, Is. 53: 5, 8.

In the sixth place he writes and says, “The comparison of the words of Paul, The form of God and the form of a servant, teaches us that by which God is known to be God, and nothing else, than the immeasurable power and the brightness of his light and glory to which none can aspire; that we must also understand it as that by which a servant is known to be a servant, and that it is nothing else but our human flesh, and that through the disobedience of our first parents it was forfeited under the servitude of sin; nevertheless he writes that we must so understand it that he took upon himself our flesh, but not the servitude thereof,” Hac ille.

Answer. Here I will leave the reader to choose whether to explain this form of a servant as having reference to a servile* form, or, as John A’Lasco thinks, to a sinful form. If it has reference to a servile, and not to a sinful form, then it does not support the assertion that the Word has taken unto himself our flesh. But if it is explained, as John A’Lasco explains it, as having reference to a sinful, and not to a servile condition, then it must necessarily follow that that is also in Christ, on account of which we are called servants, namely, on account of sin, or else the adduced antithetical form is not in place and can not stand, as you will hereafter, by the grace of God, clearly hear and see. [*]

I deny that I misinterpreted the Latin phrase Exinanivit semetipsum, as John A’Lasco accuses me of doing; although at one place I wrote, He has humbled himself, I trust I have not written it wrongly. At another place I wrote, The Son, the Word, was humbled, went beneath himself; was made lower than the angels. But nowhere have I written that he went out from himself, as John A’Lasco wrongfully accuses me. I will leave it to the judgment of all grammarians whether or not I have written correctly.

I think Christ has greatly humbled himself, since he is the Almighty, eternal Word, Wisdom and Power of God, and became such a poor, weak, despised man. He also went much beneath himself, since he was in divine form and became such a despised servant. Yea, reader, that Paul here speaks (Phil. 2: 7, 8), of the servile and not of the sinful condition, we may well deduce from the following Scriptures. “Behold,” says Isaiah, “my servant, whom I uphold; mine Elect, in whom my soul delighteth,” Is. 42: 1. Matthew is my witness that the prophet speaks this of Christ; and therefore is he called the servant of his Father, because he has performed the work and service of his Father here on earth, for us poor sinners, as he says, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many,” Matt. 20: 28.

Therefore, I repeat it. Paul here speaks of the servile and not of the sinful condition which Christ took upon himself for our salvation. For if he here spoke of the sinful and not of the servile condition, then Christ must also have assumed the form of a servant, that is sin; else the phrase The form of a servant, and The form of God could not exist together. For as the phrase form of God testifies to his true divinity, so also, the form of a servant must testify to his true servile form; or it must follow from the argument of John A’Lasco, that, although Christ was in divine form, yet he lacked the divinity, the same as he had the form of a servant but the servility, i. e. sin he had not.

O, no, it is not so. He was in God-form, and was therein truly God; thus he also took upon himself the form of a true servant, and was therein a true servant; as may be deduced from Isaiah, Matthew and the words of Christ. And in this sense the antithesis, the form of God and the form of a servant, exists, and does not require the exception which John A’Lasco here made. And this is the proper cause and reason why Paul wrote to the Philippians about this, that they should not be contentious one with another, nor seek their own vain, carnal honor, or any thing selfish, but that they should, after the example of Christ, humble themselves one towards another, and walk in love; for although Christ was in the form of God, yea “equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant,” and not the exalted form of a mighty emperor or king. He came to minister unto us and not to be ministered unto, Matt. 20: 28. Yea, “He was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin,” Heb. 4: 15. He sought not his own but that which was ours; and for our sakes “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,” Phil. 2: 8. Thus the assertion of John A’Lasco, that the Word took unto himself our flesh or a man of our flesh, remains unproven.

But his point that while Christ was here upon earth he still was also in heaven, that his face shone as the sun, that his raiment was white as the light, that he healed the sick, raised the dead, and by his word remitted sin, which power alone belongs to God, does not prove that he received his holy flesh from our sinful flesh; but it rather proves that he still remained God and his word, notwithstanding he, for a time, so humbled himself and went beneath his divine splendor, attributes, right and glory, for our sakes. Whosoever sincerely fears God, let him consider and judge, Matt. 17: 2; Luke 7: 21.

In the seventh place he asserts it as his foundation that the Word did not become flesh, but that he took unto himself our flesh of Mary, and confirms this with the Scripture Heb. 2: 14; which reads thus, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same,” and says, “The word was made flesh;” not that he has in any manner changed his first estate, or form, but he has taken unto himself our flesh and has therewith covered his divinity while here upon earth.

Answer. All those who desire a scriptural and correct understanding of the Scriptures quoted, and also of Christ, the Son of God, should well observe that God, the Almighty, eternal Father, the true Creator, who wills and works, is the only source of all good; and that he ineffably before all creatures, begat of himself his Almighty, eternal and ineffable Word, and has, through the same created all things, and thereby governs, maintains and preserves them; and that he in his eternal justice, love, and in all his attributes, together with his ineffable Word and Holy Spirit, is an eternal and perfect God, and beside him there is none other; and that he is eternal and unchangeable in his counsel, purpose, will and conclusion, as was said before, Mal. 3: 6

And, that this Almighty, eternal Father, through his Almighty, eternal Word, in the power of his Almighty, eternal Spirit, has, according to his divine purpose, counsel, will and conclusion, created Adam and Eve, the parents of us all, as righteous, good and pure creatures, unto eternal life, nay, after his own image and likeness, as the Scriptures testify; that he gave unto them the command of life and death, that they might fear, love, praise, thank and serve him, and live according to his will, Gen. 1.

Behold, this is the Creator that created Adam and Eve; it also shows through what he created them, how and for what purpose he created them; what he permitted and what he forbid them to do; what he promised them if they obeyed him, and what he threatened if they should disobey him; and thus the glory of God began to shine, Ps. 33: 5; John 1: 10.

In this piety, holiness and righteousness, Adam and Eve remained so long as they did not deviate from the counsel, word, will and command of God, in which all things have, and must have their being. But man was left in the hands of his counsel, Sirach 15: 14. But through the old serpent, the cunning reptile and envier of the honor of God, and all good, caused the glorious, noble creature of life to be led from the favor and grace of his Creator into condemnation and death, and obscured the glory of God. He began with Eve, the weaker vessel, to tempt her with the desires of her appetite; for the woman saw, says Moses, that the tree was good for food and pleasant to the eyes. He falsified the word of the Lord, and said, “Ye shall not surely die,” and made glorious promises, saying, “In the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened; and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil.”

Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of their God and Creator, by which alone they must live; believed the promise of the serpent; ate, and through the justice of God, fell into the threatened curse, condemnation and death, and thus the deceiving serpent established the kingdom of hell and of death. There, now lay the miserable, accursed Adam and his wife, Eve, in the power of the devil, poisoned “from the sole of the foot even unto the head,” both within and without, with his impure, deadly venom, and became subject unto sin and death. According to the justice of God, there was now no way of escape, for Adam and all his descendants; for the word of life was rejected; the holy command of God was transgressed, the venom of the serpent was taken. Alas, all was lost to them! Their eyes were opened, the shame was acknowledged, the gnawing worm was in the disobedient, self-accusing conscience; there was nothing but shaking and trembling, sighing and remorse. They fled before the face of the Lord and knew not where to hide from his wrath; for the justice of God pointed to the word, “For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Here the counsel, purpose, will and conclusion of the Almighty, eternal God were unchanged. He would make manifest his glory and have a man after his own image and likeness.

Inasmuch as this was resolved upon and provided for with God, as has been said; and as with poor Adam, all was lost, as also with all his descendants, for at heart he was full of venom and abashed before his God, therefore should the unchangeable, will, counsel and resolution of the unchangeable God be executed, there must be another who was like the corrupted Adam before his fall; for upon such a man, God’s will had resolved; and with Adam all was lost.

Therefore the ineffable, eternal Word, by which Adam and Eve were created, by which all things are and must forever remain; the Almighty power and wisdom of God, must become man, that he might bruise the head of the deceiving serpent, for the salvation of the condemned Adam and all his descendants; that temptation might be overcome; that the holy and unchangeable will of the Father might be fulfilled; that the dominion and power of the devil might be destroyed; and that he might, by his willing obedience and spotless offering, discharge and put away the guilt and deserved death of Adam, by his innocent death.

Behold, this joyous gospel, and these glad tidings of the divine grace, which God declared to the poor, afflicted and fugitive, Adam. He accepted them through faith; consoled himself therewith, and sincerely rejoiced in his grace, Gen. 3: 15; 22: 18; Jer. 23: 6; Luke 1: 28.

And this is the Messiah who, I say, was promised Adam, of a woman, the salvation of all the world; promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the glorious Branch, Rod, Plant and Fruit of David, symbolized in Solomon, the natural fruit of his loins; who shall sit on his throne and reign in Israel forever. All who believe on him shall receive the mercy, grace and peace of God; but whosoever does not believe on him, on him remaineth the wrath of God, John 3: 36.

From all this it follows that as Adam was created, in the beginning and we in him, through the Word, he and also we are again quickened of God through this same Word, and accepted in grace. John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God; the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made,” &c. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Behold, in such plain words testifies the Spirit of God, that both the creation and the restoration of Adam and his seed, was brought about by no other means than through the Word, as has been heard, Matt. 3: 11; John 1; Col. 1: 19.

And to the better explanation of this, and also to learn to understand rightly how entirely sinful, impure, poisoned, powerless, and as nothing we all have become in Adam, I would point you, with Paul, to the law and the Scriptures; they will depict to you the impure, powerless nature and sinfulness of our flesh so plainly, that you are forced to acknowledge that the holy, glorious and spotless Messiah, through whom we all are pacified and reconciled with God, could not be of such impure, sinful and accursed seed and flesh as the learned teach us, and pretend with their philosophic reasoning, without the Scriptures.

Thus speaks Moses, Thou shalt not covet, or thou shalt not desire. Reader, observe: In these few words is properly represented the first righteousness in which Adam was created in the beginning; and which is yet claimed of God according to his righteousness, by his descendants. Ponder diligently on these words of Moses and examine yourself closely, before your God, who tries the hearts and reins, whether or not you sometimes do not, against the law, find such forbidden lusts in your flesh.

If you imagine yourself free from these, you convert God into a liar, 1 John 1: 10; and thereby you also shame all the righteous of God, who were from the beginning; for they have all unanimously complained of their evil-disposed, wicked flesh, and have, alas, too unanimously shown it in their fruits. The Scriptures testify that I speak the truth.

Yea, reader, if any man, born of the sinful flesh of Adam, had completely fulfilled the law, then for such the commanded yearly sin-offering, which was offered by the high priest in the Holy of Holies, was useless and fruitless. Neither would it have been necessary for the Son of the Most high, the eternal word of God to become man; for such a person could have done all this and fulfilled the required righteousness. But as it was, there was neither prophet nor any man of God, born of Adam, so holy, or so pious, but who had to console himself with the promise of God in regard to Christ, also symbolized in the offering, and with the divine grace, through faith.

But if you find that you do not as the law requires, but that you are not alone ever fought by the lusts which dwelt in your flesh, but that you are also often involuntarily conquered thereby, then you must acknowledge that you are already condemned to death by the law of righteousness. For the law says, “Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them; and all the people shall say, Amen,” Deut. 27: 26.

Behold, kind reader, if you would rightly know and acknowledge how miserable, naked, powerless, impotent, unclean, sinful and poisoned all of Adam’s seed is become in him, through his transgression, and how his seed is fallen, through the just righteousness of God, into his wrath, judgment, curse, condemnation and death, then, I say, search the law diligently; for it points out to you, First, the obedience to God and righteousness required of you; and also the weakness of your sinful flesh, your impure and evil disposed nature; and that you are already condemned to death, according to the rigor of the above mentioned righteousness, since you, through your inherent, weak nature and evil disposed flesh, do not walk in the required righteousness as God has commanded and required of you in his law, as you will clearly notice by your own unction if you but rightly observe.

Inasmuch as Adam and his seed are so entirely corrupted; as by nature he was created pure and clean, and became wholly impure and evil disposed, and thus fell in the righteous judgment of God; and since every thing is involved in sin; therefore, if this venom was to be weakened in its power; if the corrupted nature of Adam was to be delivered from the curse and judgment of sin; if the righteousness of God was to be appeased; if the power of the devil was to be disturbed; if curse, wrath, condemnation and death were to be taken away; if the hand writing of the law, which required such righteousness of Adam’s children, was to be broken to pieces; if the eternal providence, counsel, will and determination of God were to be fulfilled; if his kingdom and glory were to be acknowledged; and if there was to be such a man as the counsel, will, and determination of God required, as has been heard; then the everlasting love of God would require that there should be another man, who, conquering the devil, should disturb his power, fulfill the righteousness of God, promulgate his glory, make a clean sacrifice, and who should thus, out of love and compassion, be innocently accursed and condemned to death; not of Adam, but for the everlasting salvation of Adam and his seed; that thus the corrupted and condemned Adam, together with his corrupt and condemned seed, should be again accepted in grace, through his name, and be again delivered from their great fall, Gal. 3; Gen. 3: 17; Luke 11: 21; John 14: 30; Col. 1: 14.

It could not, I repeat it, be a man of Adam’s flesh; for the corrupted flesh of Adam could not beget fruit which could fulfill this, while it was so thoroughly corrupted and condemned before God; but it must be a man who was free from the deserved curse, condemnation and death of Adam, and also from all his venom, sin and unrighteousness, as has been sufficiently heard.

Observe, my faithful reader, and here learn to know your God in his grace and love. For although the whole Scriptures conclude Adam and Eve, together with all their descendants, entirely under the sin, curse, condemnation and death, according to justice, yet it does not leave in hell the solicitous, afflicted conscience, which has been so far taught and directed by the law, that it feels its wounds and stripes, and acknowledges that it is deserving of eternal death and condemnation; but the Scriptures show in consoling words and symbols, where and of whom to get the healing medicine, namely: of Christ Jesus. For it is he who with all his righteousness, merit, cross, blood and death, was graciously given of God our heavenly Father to the fallen and condemned Adam and his posterity, for their eternal salvation and reconciliation.

I think this may well be called a joyous gospel, and glad tidings to all afflicted and lamenting souls, who having become subject to sin and death under the law, so fearfully tremble at the righteous judgment and wrath of God, that the Almighty, eternal God and Father has so loved us miserable, trifling and condemned sinners who are so far estranged from him and, according to his righteous judgment, are deserving of eternal death, that he sent into this miserable world, his Almighty, eternal and ineffable Word, his only, eternal and beloved Son, the brightness of his glory; and who was like unto Adam before the fall, as a proof and means of his divine grace; and that this One has, through his perfect righteousness, willing obedience and innocent death, led us from the kingdom and dominion of the devil into the kingdom of his divine grace and eternal peace.

Inasmuch as the Scriptures pronounce the first Adam and all his seed to be such an impure, sinful, accursed and condemned Adam, and pronounce Christ, the second Adam, free from all impurity, sin, curse and condemnation, therefore the impartial reader may well deduce therefrom that such a precious, glorious fruit could not be plucked from an elder or thorn bush; but should be begotten from some other source, namely: from him who is the only cause and eternal source of all good things, as has been said.

That the holy and saving flesh of Christ was not of the sinful and condemned flesh of Adam may be plainly observed from the following passages and figures of the Holy Scripture.

Isaiah says, “All we like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” “He hath done violence to no one; neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him,” Isa. 53: 6, 9, 10.

I must pay, says the Psalmist, in the person of Christ that which I had not taken. He “bare our sins in his own body on the tree,” and by his stripes we were healed, 1 Pet. 2: 24.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him,” 2 Cor. 5: 21. Again, we are all sinners and come short of the glory of God; but are made righteous, without merit, by his grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ.

Again, “The Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe,” Gal. 3: 22.

Ye know, says John, that the Son of God “was manifested to take away our sins;” and in him is no sin, 1 John 3: 5. Read also all these Scriptures, Isa. 7: 9 and 40; Jer. 23; Mic. 5; John 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17; 1 Cor. 15; Acts, 20; Eph. 4; 1 Tim. 3; 1 John 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; Heb. 1, 2, 3, 7; Rev. 1: 19.

He is the spiritual tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God, which is not planted by the hands of man, but of God himself, Rev. 2: 7; all those that shall eat the fruits of this tree, with pure hearts, shall live forever; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations, Rev. 22: 3.

He is the spiritual, brazen serpent, symbolized in the Mosaic serpent, Num. 21: 9, which was erected for us miserable sinners, by the Father, in the wilderness of this world, as a healing sign, which had the venomous form of the venomous serpent, yet had not its venomous nature. All those who believe on him are delivered from the curse, condemnation and death caused by the serpent; but whosoever does not believe on him, on him the wrath of God remains, and he must eternally bear and suffer, according to God’s eternal justice, the threatened curse, death and condemnation, John 3: 36.

He is the spiritual mercy seat, which is not, like the ark made of Shittim wood, but of fine, pure gold, from which God graciously hears us and speaks unto us through his Spirit and word, Ex. 25: 10; Rom. 3: 24; Heb. 4: 13. He is the spiritual Paschal Lamb, which is without spot, and in the sprinkling and sanctification of whose blood the chosen Israel of God was ever graciously saved from the destroying angel, and from the wrath of God, in the midst of the cruel, dark Egypt of this world, Ex. 12: 23; Num. 9: 16.

He is the true bread from heaven, which is not made of natural corn or wheat, I mean, of our sinful flesh, but is begotten of the dew of the eternal Word, which is the only and true food for our souls, by which we shall live forever, if we only eat of him through true faith, Ex. 16: 5; Num. 11: 18.

He is the Rock which was torn from the mountain, without hands, that is, without human assistance, which Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream; and to which Daniel was referred as being the one who should waste and destroy the iron, clay, silver and gold; yea, all the kingdoms of this world; for he has all power in heaven and upon earth; he is a powerful King over all; and to his kingdom there shall be no end, nor pass to other people, Dan. 2: 44.

Behold, kind reader, judge from the above mentioned Scriptures and figures, if you fear God, if such doctrine is based upon the Scriptures, which claims that this righteous, holy, spotless, obedient and saving Messiah was born of the unrighteous, sinful, impure, disobedient and accursed flesh or seed of Adam; and that it took its humanity therefrom. O, no. This pure, clear water, with which all our blemishes were to be washed away, could never be drawn from such an impure, stagnated pool. Let every body reflect what the word of the Lord teaches him.

Now we will, by the grace of the Lord, enlarge upon the Scriptures of Heb. 2, that we may rightly comprehend the foundation and truth thereof; and that, too, that our opponents may not boast that we do not satisfy them; I would first refer you to the first chapter of Hebrews, and have you observe what is said there of Christ.

In the first place it reads, that “God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.”

In the second place it reads, that this same Son is “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.”

Thirdly, that he has purged our sins by himself.

Fourthly, that he is the first begotten Son of God, and that all the angels shall worship him.

Fifthly, that he is God, and that his kingdom and throne shall endure forever.

Sixthly, that he laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of his hands.

I think that if you earnestly ponder on these Scriptures and rightly observe them, you will soon perceive from whence Christ came, who and what he is. For these plain evidences clearly teach that the world was made by him; that he is the brightness of the glory of God; that he hath purged our sins by himself; that he is the first begotten Son of God, that he is God, and that he has laid the foundations of the earth. This could not be of Mary’s flesh, Gen. 1: 1; Ps. 33: 6; Eph. 3: 9; 1: 9; Col. 1: 16; Heb. 1: 2; Ps. 102: 26; 1 John 1: 7; Col. 1: 15.

If they should say that these Scriptures are not spoken in regard to the Son of Mary, but in regard to the Son of God, then they confess thereby a divided Son, two persons, two sons; besides, we are convinced by these very Scriptures that they are spoken of the whole Christ; for he has spoken with us as a man, and we are also cleansed of our sins through his human suffering and death, as the Scripture teaches, 1 John 1: 7; 1 Pet. 1: 19.

But if they should call to their support the sinecdoche, or commonness of the names, then I would answer in brief, plain, words, that the plain, faithful souls, Peter and John the fishermen, Martha the servant, and the plain Nathaniel, knew nothing at all of such satanic testimony and human cunning; but they have given praise to the visible and tangible Christ, and confessed that he was the Son of God, Matt. 16: 15; Jn. 6: 69; 11: 27.

This is still further declared in the second chapter in these words: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor,” Heb. 2: 6, 7.

Here I would faithfully admonish the faithful reader, to observe that both Erasmus and Hieronymus, in their Latin translations, have translated this thus: “Thou madest him a little lower than the angels;” and the Hebrew Psalm also has it: “Thou madest him inferior to God; with praise and honor thou crownedst him,” Heb. 2: 7; Ps. 8: 5.

This agrees with the word of Paul, where he says, “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant,” Phil. 2: 7. At another place he says, “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,” 2 Cor. 8: 9. This also agrees with the words of Christ, “Now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee, before the world was,” Jn. 17: 5. I think these plain Scriptures and clear testimonies prove fully that the teachings of our opponents are unscriptural and erroneous, when they say that the Son of God remained in his first form and estate, and was not bruised for our iniquities.

This same man, who, for our sake, was thus humbled and made less than God and the angels, we see is Christ, who for suffering death was crowned with praise and honor; for as he, for the purpose of obedience, humbled himself to the lowest, for our service, therefore he was again exalted to the highest, by the Father. And thus he was innocently put to death for the sake of Adam and all his posterity, by the grace of God; for Adam and his posterity could not be otherwise delivered from the power of death. For it became him, for whom and by whom are all things, who has brought many children unto glory, to make the Prince and Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering, as both the Sanctifier, Christ, and those who are sanctified through him, the regenerated, are all of one, that is, of God, Phil. 2: 9; Heb. 2: 10.

Thus the sanctified together have one Father with their Sanctifier, as John says, “As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God;” and therefore our Savior “is not ashamed to call them (the sanctified), brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee,” John 1: 12; Heb. 2: 11, 12. Yea, dear reader, if the flesh of Christ was of Adam’s flesh, and if we were called his brethren on that account, as is the doctrine of the learned, then one brother must beget the other; besides, then all the ungodly, yea, whores and knaves, must also be Christ’s brethren and sisters. This is too plain to be controverted.

O, no. Who his brethren are, he has himself plainly declared, Matt. 12 : 59; Mark 3: 35; Luke 8: 21. And he not only calls them his brethren, but also, his children, and says, “Behold, I and the children which God hath given me.” They are called his children for the reason that he has begotten them unto God his Father, by the word of his grace, through the power of his Holy Spirit, in the besprinkling of his precious blood. At another place he also calls them his mother, bride, flesh and bones; which, according to the flesh, they could not be.