The Gospel According to St. Mark Illustrated

Front matter

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Chapter I

THE beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Curist, the Son of Gop.

1 S. Mark termeth his doctrine “ the Gospel,” because it teacheth salvation; “ the Gospel of Jusus Cunist, the Son of Gon,” because it teacheth salvation by Him. This is then the foundation, whereupon the frame of the Gospel is erected. That very Jesus, whom the Virgin conceived of the Hory Guost, whom Simeon embraced in his arms, whom Pilate condemned, whom the Jews crucified, whom the Apostles preached, He is Curtsr, the Lorp, the only Saviour of the world. “ Other foundation can no man lay.” Gen. xxii. 17,18; 8S. Luke 1. 11; 1 Cor. iii. 11. Hooker. (A Discourse of Justification, S. 23.)

S. Matthew describes “the Son of Man,’ 8. Mark “the Son of Gop ;” for we must ascend by degrees from less to greater things; and from faith and the signs, as they regard His Humanity, we must rise upwards to the confession of His Divinity. Moreover, as about to set forth His human generation, S. Matthew fitly begins with the “Son of Man;” but, as about to commence with the first preaching of the Gospel, S. Mark styled Him the “Son of Gon;” for to announce the Gospel to the world was a work of Divine power. Rom. i. 17; Isa. vi. 8,9; liu. 1; 1 Tim. ii. 16. Bede.

S. Mark at once boldly and emphatically proclaims the style of the Lorp—“ Jesus Curist the Son of Gop.” His manner may seem to be abrupt; but there was something in this commanding tone well fitted to arrest the attention of the Romans, those mighty Lords of the universe; something grand, something worthy of Romans to consider. Conf. xv. 39. J. F.

2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way before Thee.

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lorp, make His paths straight.

4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

2 Every Evangelist hath his proper evordium. S. Matthew and S. John begin with Curist; S.. Matthew, with His human generation ; 8. John, with the Divine generation: S. Mark and S. Luke begin with John the Baptist ; 8S. Luke, with his nativity ; S. Mark, with his preaching. Hdward Leigh. (Annotations, in loco.)

Behold, I send, §c.—“ Let a man so account of us, as of the Ministers of Curist, and Stewards of the mysteries of Gov.” (1 Cor. iv. 1.) That is our elassis, our rank, our station, what

_ names soever we brought into the world by our extraction from this or that family, what name soever we took in our Baptism, and contract between Gop and us; that name, in which we come to you, is that—“the ministers of Curisz,” the “ stewards of the mysteries of Gop.” And “so let men account of us,” says the Apostle. Invention, and disposition, and art, and eloquence, and expression, and elocution, and reading, and writing, and printing, are secondary things, accessory things, auxiliary subsidiary things; men may account us, and make account of us, as of orators in the pulpit and of authors in the shop; but, if they account of us, as of “ministers’’ and “stewards,” they give us our due; that’s our name to you. All the Evangelists mention S. John Baptist and his preaching ; but two of the four say never a word of his austerity of life, his locusts, nor his camel’s hair ; and those two that do, S. Matthew and 8. Mark, they insist first upon his calling, and then his actual preaching, how he pursued that calling ; and then upon the doctrine, that he preached, repentance and sanctification ; and, after that, they come to these secondary and subsidiary things, which added to his estimation and assisted the passage of his doc-

8 §. MARK LI. 2.

trine. (S. Mark xi. 32.) His good life, learning, and other good parts, and an exemplar life, fall into second places— (“ Moreover, it is required,” &c. 1 Cor. iv. 4.) They have a first place in their consideration, who are to call them; but in you, to whom they are sent, but a second: fix you, in the first place, on the calling. Ex. iii. 9—14; Jer. i. 1—6; Isa. vi. 6 —10; Amos vii. 14,15; 8. Matt. x. 41. Dr. Déiwe. (Serm. on Psalm xxxiyv. 11.)

Of all the law and the prophets, which delivered the holy Oracles to us, Malachi was the last; by whose prophecy, ending at S. John the Baptist, under the title and type of Elias, there is a manifest combination of the Old and New Testament together ; the ending of that last prophecy being set forth and declared by 8. Mark to be the beginning of the Gospel: whereunto CHRIST Himself also gave His own testimony, and said, that “ald the prophets and the law prophesied, until John;” which is as much as to say, that, after the prophecy made of him, there came no other prophets between them. For where Malachi ends the Old Testament, all the Evangelists begin the New. Bp. Cosin. Heb.i.1; 18. Pet.i,10,11. (Schol. Hist. of the Canon of Scripture.)

All the prophets went before our Saviour in their ministry, in their divers generations ; but John in a more special manner above them all. They, like Balaam (Numb. xxiv.) did behold Him, but “not now;” did foretell Him, but “not nigh;” but he beheld Him face to face, and he told of Him standing by. And hence it is, that our Saviour calls him “more than a prophet,” S. Matt. xi. 9; nay, as much or more than any mere man, that was naturally born of a woman “more than a prophet,” because he went before Curist, as His forerunner ; and as great as any, that were ever born, because he was the beginner of the Gospel. (Acts i. 21, 22; x. 37; S. Matt. xi. 18.) So that what some of the Fathers say concerning Malachi, that he was Limes Judaismi et Christianismi, we may not unfitly say concerning John, that he was “the bounds of Judaism and Christianity ;” the limits, from whence “the law and the prophets” took their conclusion, and “the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven” their beginning. Dr. Lightfoot. (Serm. on 8. Luke i. 17.)

3 The Advent of the Redeemer was but the visible appearance of the Divine light, with which the radiant cloud of prophecy had long been ready to break forth. Isa. lx. 1—3; 8S. Luke i. 76—78. Davison. (Discourses on Prophecy. P. ii. Dise. 3.)

Vox et clamor must go together: the voice preach faith ; the ery, repentance: the voice, comfort; the ery, threaten: the voice sing mercy; the cry denounce judgment. Ps. ci. 1; Isa. lxi. 1—8; S. Matt. xi. 28—30. 8. Ambrose. (Serm. 64.)

Before His Son, that bringeth mercy, Gop sent His servant, the trumpeter of Repentance, to level every high hill, to prepare the way before Him, making it smooth and straight. And, as it is in spiritual things, where Curist never comes, before His waymaking hath laid even the heart with sorrow and repentance ; since self-conceited and proud persons think themselves too good and too wise to learn of their inferiors, and therefore need not the physician ; so, in the rules of earthly wisdom, it is not possible for nature to attain any mediocrity of perfection, before she be humbled by knowing herself and her own ignorance. Not only knowledge, but every other gift, which we call the gifts of fortune, have power to puff up earth. Afflictions only level these molehills of pride, plough the heart, and make it fit for Wisdom to sow her seed, and for Grace to bring forth her increase. Happy is the man, therefore, both in regard of heavenly and earthly wisdom, that is thus wounded, to be cured; thus broken, to be made straight ; thus made acquainted with his own imperfections, that he may be perfected ! 1 Sam. ii. 3—9; Hosea vi. 1; Tobit xiii. 1, 2. Lord Bacon. (Letter to Lord Chief Justice Coke.)

4 It was solitude and retirement, in which Jesus kept His vigils. The desert places heard Him pray: in a privacy He was born: in the wilderness He fed His thousands: upon a mountain apart He was Transfigured: upon a mountain He died; and from a mountain He ascended to His Farner. Petrus Cellensis. (Lib. iv. Ep. 12.)

In solitude pious persons might go to heaven, by the way of prayers and devotion; but in society they ought to go to heaven, by the way of mercy, and charity, and dispensation to others. .. . John the Baptist united both these lives; and our Blessed Saviour, who is the great Precedent of Sanctity and Prudence, hath determined this question—(concerning the comparative advantages of a social or a solitary life)—in this

_ one instance: for He lived a life common, sociable, humane,

A charitable, and public; and yet, for the opportunities of especial devotion, retired to prayer and contemplation, but came forth speedily: for the devil never set upon Him, but in the wilderness, and by the advantage of retirement. For, as Gop hath many, so the devil hath some opportunities of doing his work in our solitariness: but Jusus reconciled both; and so did John the Baptist, in their several degrees and manners; and from both we are taught that solitude is a good school, and the world is the best theatre; the institution is best there, but the practice here: the wilderness hath the advantage of discipline; and society, opportunities of perfection. Privacy is the best for devotion ; and the public for charity. In both, Gop hath many saints and servants ; and from both the devil hath had some. v. 19; ix. 2; xiv. 32—39; Josh.i.9; Eccl. iv. 9, 10; Rom. i. 11, 12. Bp. J. Taylor. (The Great Exemplar. P.i. S. viii. 6, 7.) From the root of Mount Libanus spring two rivers, Jor and Dan; and these two meeting together, joining their waters, join their names too—and make that famous river Jordan; a name so composed as perchance our river is—Thamesis—of Thame and Isis. Dr. Donne. (Serm. S. Matt. iv. 18—20.)

Qui te olim Nil supra septemplicis ortus,

Sannazarius. (De partu Virg. L. iii.)

Faith is a noble Duchess; she hath ever her gentleman-usher going before her—the Confessing of sins : she hath a train after her—the fruit of good works, the walking in the Commandments of Gop. Rom.x.9; Titus ii.8. Bp. Latimer. (Serm. 4 on Rom. xv. 4.)

* Proteus.

Their sins.—Our Confession must be humilis, et accusans nos ipsos, acknowledging, not the fact only, but the guilt; confessing, not -only the sin, but confessing it to be our own—nostra peccata, non nature ; our sins, not laying the blame on nature—zostra peccata, non diaboli; not with Eve shifting them off to the devil—nostra peccata, non Dei; our sins, not making Gop the author. Gen. iii. 12,13; 1 Sam. xv. 21; 8. James i. 13—15; Ex. xxxii. 22. Bp. Sparrow. (Serm. on the Confession of sins and the Power of Absolution. 18. John i. 9.)

Quando homo detigit, Deus tegit. Cum homo celat, Deus nudat. Cum homo agnoscit, Deus ignoscit. When man uncovers his sin, Gop covers it. When man cloaks, Gop strips bare. When man confesses, Gop pardons. Josh. vii. 19. S. Augustine.

6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey ;

7 And preached saying, There cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8 I indeed have baptized you with water; but He shall baptize you with the Hory Guosr.

6 If you preach and neglect yourself to perform, you are as one, proposing an impossibility. §S. Luke xxii. 32. 8. Chrysostom. If we cannot, as S. Basil speaks, use an “unbroken fast,” at least we may keep penitentially the Fasts of the Church ; we may use food, as medicine, for the daily decays of nature; we may cut off self-indulgence, not “fare sumptuously every day,” but feed the poor of Curist. If we cannot use intense watchings, at least we may break off sloth and be beforehand with the morning to cry unto the Lorp our Gop; or by night the image of death may come over us with penitential words on our lips and in our hearts. If the penitent cannot with Ahab and the penitents of Holy Scripture gird haircloth around his loins, at least he need not wear “ soft clothing, and live delicately ;” he can pray to Gop to gird him with continence, and “cut off from himself,” (as 8. Gregory says,) “things lawful, as he remembereth that he committed things unlawful.” xiv.8 ; 2 Cor. viii. 12; Heb. xii. 4. Dr. Pusey. (Serm. on 1 Cor. xi. 31.)

Ne levi posses maculare vitam

Crimine lingue.

Mella locustis.

Paulus, Diac. (in Nat.S. Joan.)

7 There cometh one, §c.—Above all, have a care of vain and proud thoughts of your own virtues.

For, as soon as ever people live different from the common way of the world and despise its vanities, the devil represents to their minds the height of their own perfections; and he is content they should excel in good works, provided he can but make them proud of them. Therefore watch over your virtues with a jealous eye, and reject every vain thought, as you would reject the most wicked imaginations; and think what a loss it would be to you to have the fruit of all your good works devoured by the vanity of your own minds. Hzek. xviii. 24; S. Luke i. 51, 58; xviii. 11, 12; 2 Cor. xii.7. Wm.Law. (A Serious Call to a devout and holy Life, ch. 19.)

The latchet, §c.—At Baptism, together with the clothes, it was customary to take off the shoes. Bengel.

He did not merely say His shoes, but not even the latchet ; which kind of office was counted the last of all. Ps. eviii. 9. 8. Chrysostom. (Hom. in 8. Matt. ii. 11.)

8 The baptism enjoined by Moses made, in the first place, a distinction between sins; for all sins were not indulged with forgiveness: then it required different kinds of sacrifices; it was very exact on the subject of purification, casting out for a space of time the person lying under the taint of impurity: it ob-

_ served also times and seasons: and then baptism, in those, who received it, was a certain sign of their being purified. But the baptism of John multipliciter amplius habebat, varied in many respects from this: for it held no distinction between sins, nor did it demand a diversity of sacrifices, nor was it so particular respecting purification, ‘nor did it observe special times and seasons. In no respect did any delay intervene between it and the Grace of Gop and His Curisr; but no sooner did any one approach, confessing his sins, whatever these sins might be, and was baptized in the river Jordan, then he forthwith received the forgiveness of sins. The Baptism, however, of CuRist, was altogether of a character, far above any baptism of man; it possessed a Glory, higher than we could look for, or wish; a Blessing more eminent, a virtue more powerful than the Sun has over the stars. By this Baptism we “ die unto sin, and live unto righteousness ;’’ we are “crucified and buried with Jesus Curist;’”’ we are “raised again together” with Him: “sin hath no more dominion over us;’ we are filled with the Hoty Spratt, and clothed with Jesus Curist. Rom. vi. 4; 1 Cor. vi. 11; Col. ii. 12,18; Tit. ii. 4—7. 8S. Basil. (Tr. on Baptism. B.i.)

The Baptism of Curist had not only forgiveness of sins and removal of punishment, but righteousness also, and sanctification, and redemption, and adoption, and brotherhood, and participation of the heritage, and abundant ministration of the Hoty Spreir; for all these things he implied, when he said He shall Baptize you with the Hoty Guosr and with fire ; at once by the very metaphor showing the abundance of the Grace. For he does not say, “He shall give you the Horny Guost,” but, “ He shall Baptize you with the Horny Guost;” and by the addition of fire, he points out the vehemence and efficacy of the Grace. S. Chrysostom. (Hom. in S. Matt. iti. 11.)

Thou hast, as the Glory of Baptism, the Son of Gop Himself, the Only-begotten. For why should I henceforth speak of man? John was great; but what was he to the Lorp? Loud was that “voice;” but what is it to “the Word?” Most glorious was the herald; but what to the King? Glorious was he, who baptized with water; but what to Him, who Baptizeth with the

Hoty Guosr and with fire? 8. John iii. 26—86. 8. Cyril. (Catech. Lect. iii. 7—9.)

No other can be called perfect Baptism, than that, which is in the Passion and Resurrection of Curist. Heb. ix. 22; Rom. vill. 38,34, S. Jerome. (Adv. Lucif. S. 7.)

Neither repentance avails without Grace, nor Grace without repentance ; for repentance must first condemn sin, that Grace may blot it out. So then John, becoming a type of the Law, baptized to repentance; Curist, to Grace. 8. John i. 12—14, 17; S. Luke xxiv. 47. S. Ambrose. (Ep. 26.)

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of Jobn in Jordan.

10 And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Sprrir like a dove descending upon Him:

11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

9 Baptized of John.—Humility has three degrees; the first is to be subject to those above us, and not to prefer ourselves to those, who are equal to us; the second is to subject ourselves to our equals, and not to prefer ourselves to our inferiors; the third and most perfect is to place ourselves beneath our inferiors. Here Curist places Himself beneath His own servant. (S. Matt. iii. 14,15; 8S. John xiii. 13—17.) He makes Himself vile, and extols His servant. Hitherto He had humbly conversed among men; here He would appear, as a sinner. For it was to sinners, that 8S. John preached repentance, and baptized them ; and amongst them and in their presence, would our Lorp Jesus be baptized. 8. Matt. xi. 29; Eph. iv. 1,2; Phil. ii. 3. Card. Bonaventura. (Life of Curist. Ch. 18.)

What an arrest is it to my pride to see Thee, the Fountain of Living water, the Refiner and Purifier of Thy people, and who

S. MARK TI. 10. 15

“ Baptizest them even with fire,” humbly descending into the waters, as if Thou neededst to be cleansed by them, and submitting Thyself to be baptized, not by an Angel, but by a man and asinner! But Thou wast willing to “ fulfil all righteousness,” and to shew us how much it is fulfilled in Humility... . Thy example shames and confounds; but it is Thy grace, that must cure my pride. Thy example teaches me; but it is Thy grace, that must dispose me to learn of Thee. O Thou, that givest grace to the humble, give me grace, that I may be humble! 2 Cor. x. 1—6; Ps. exvii. 2. Norris. (A Practical Treatise, concerning Humility. Ch. 9.)

10 When once a common shipwreck had overtaken the whole world, and our race was in danger of perishing, the dove appeared and indicated the deliverance from the tempest, and, bearing an olive branch, published the good tidings of the common calm of the whole world; (Gen. viii.) all which was a type of the things to come . . . . Therefore the dove appears, not bearing an olive branch, but pointing out to us our Deliverer from all evils and suggesting the hopes of grace. For, not from out of an ark does she lead one man only; but the whole world she leads up to heaven at her appearing, (S. John i. 20) ; and, instead of a branch of peace from an olive, she conveys the adoption to all the world’s offspring in common . . . . Where adoption is vouchsafed, then is also the removing of evils and the giving of all good things. 8S. Luke xv. 31; Rom. vii. 15— 18. SS. Chrysostom. (Hom. in 8. Matt. iii. 16.)

This was the inauguration and proclamation of the Musstas, when He began to be the Great Prophet of the New Covenant. And this was the greatest meeting, that ever was upon the earth, where the whole Cabinet of the mysterious Trinity was opened and shewn, as much as the capacities of our present imperfections will permit; the Second Person in the veil of humanity ; the Third in the shape, or with the motion, of @ dove: but the First kept His primitive state; and, as to the Israelites He gave notice by way of caution, “Ye saw no shape, but ye heard a voice ;” so now also Gop the FaTHER gave testimony to His Holy Son and appeared only in a voice, without any visible representment. ix. 7; S. John v. 37; xii.

28; 1 Tim. vi. 15,16. Bp. J. Taylor. (The Great Exemplar. P. i. 8. viii. 3.)

JESUS comes up out of the water, leading forth, as it were, and lifting up with Himself, the drowned world. S. Greg. Nazianzen. (Orat. in Sancta Lumina.)

It was ordained that Jesus saw the heavens opened, for our sakes ; to whom, by means of the laver of the water of Regeneration, the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven is opened—that gate, which was once closed against the whole human race, through the sin of our first parents, and guarded with the Cherubim and flaming sword. For that flame is extinguished, in regard to every believer, as soon as he is immersed in the Life-giving waters. S. John iii. 5; Acts viii. 36—39; 1 S. Pet. iii. 20, 21. Bede.

11 When you look through a red glass, the whole heavens seem bloody ; but through pure uncoloured glass, you receive the clear light, that is so refreshing and comforting to behold. When sin unpardoned is betwixt, and we look on Gop through that, we can perceive nothing but anger and enmity in His countenance; but make Curist once the medium, our pure Redeemer, and through Him, as a clear transparent glass, the beams of Gon’s favourable countenance shine in upon the soul. The Farner cannot look upon His wellbeloved Son, but graciously and pleasingly. Gop looks on us, out of Curtst, sees us rebels, and fit to be condemned ; we look on Gop, as being

“just and powerful, to punish us; but when Curisr is betwixt, Gop looks on us in Him, as justified ; and we look on Gop in Him, as pacified, and see the smiles of His favourable countenance. Take Curisr out, all is terrible; interpose Him, all is full of peace. Therefore set Him always betwixt; and by Him we shall believe in Gop. Ps. Ixxxiy. 9; 8. John xiv. 6; Eph. i. 3, &c. Abp. Leighton. (Comm. 8S. Pet. ch. i. 21.)

Gop “repented that He made man,”’ (Gen. vi. 7,) but never that He Redeemed him. Isa. liii, 10; Eph. v. 2. Dr. Bates. (Harm. of the Divine Attributes, &c., ch. ix.)

By this place we learn that Curist appeared and quenched the wrath of His Farner, not in that He was only the Son of Man, but much more in that He was the Son of God. Heb. i. 3; x. 7. Homilies. (On the Nativity.)

12 And immediately the Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness. ; 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan: and was with the wild beasts; and

the angels ministered unto Him.

12 Into the wilderness, as into a field of battle. Judg. xiii. 25. Eph. vi. 10O—17. S. Augustine.

See, whither the Sprrit led Him up, when He had taken Him ; not into a city and forum, but into a wilderness. That is, He, being minded to attract the devil, gives him a handle not only by His hunger, but also by the place. For then most especially doth the devil assail, when he sees men left alone and by themselves. Thus did he also set upon the woman in the beginning, having caught her alone and found her apart from her husband. . . We have the greatest need, on this account, to be assembling together continually, that we may not be open to the devil’s attacks. vi.7; xiv. 66; Eecl. iv. 9; Heb. x. 25. 8S. Chrysostom. (Hom. in 8. Matt. iv. 1.)

When Gop vouchsafes His servants extraordinary measures of grace, they are to look for employment, that will exercise it, or temptations, that will try it. ... That wise and merciful Disposer of all things, who “ will not suffer His children to be tempted, above what they are able,” (1 Cor. x. 13,) seasonably fortifies them by these preparatory provisions and consolatiohs for the labours and difficulties they are exposed to. ... Advantageous and welcome as His preparatory vouchsafements can be, the pious soul may well think them less favours upon their own account, than as they enable the receiver to do the more service to the Giver. v.19; Heclus. ii. 1; 1 Cor. xii. 7. R. Boyle. (Occasional Reflections. s. ii. 8.)

13 Here we see the second Adam, in the Son of man, the companion of the wild beasts of the field and reconciled to them. xvi. 17,18; Job v. 23; Isa. xi. 6—9. Is. Williams.

We do not read that any wild beast or noisome creature, of which the wilderness had plenty, did either annoy our Saviour, or attempt any violence against Him, whilst He was

c with them. We do not read that Satan ever tempted Him to encounter with a lion or a bear, as His father David had done, or to tread on serpents or scorpions, to see whether they would sting Him, or no; because he saw by experience that this Jusus of Nazareth had power over all these, and whatsoever other creature was at Satan’s command. He had seen that of the Psalmist fulfilled in Him (xci. 13); “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon Thou shalt trample under feet.” Yet he hoped our Saviour’s confidence in the authority and power, which He exercised over wild beasts and venomous creatures in the wilderness, might animate Him to try another conclusion, which he thought had as fair and plausible premisses in the Scriptures to infer it. Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. 8. Matt. iv. 5,6. Where was it written that the angels should take charge of Him, lest He should dash His foot against a stone? In the very same place (and in the words immediately going before), wherein it was said that He should tread upon the lion and adder. These would ever and anon be in His way, whilst His way was in the wilderness ; and to tread on them was no tempting of Gop. The angels of Gop, in this case, were to protect Him; but to east Himself headlong from the pinnacle of the Temple was no part of His way. (Ps. xci. 11.) The Prophet had foretold no such miraculous protection of Him, or His followers. For Him to have tried this conclusion had been a tempting of Gop. xvi, 17, 18; Isa. xi. 6; 8. Luke x. 18,19. Dean Jackson. (On the Creed, b. vii. p. ii. s. 58.)

Learn from His conversing with the wild beasts to behaye yourself humbly towards all and to bear patiently with them, even with those, who seem to you, at times, to conduct themselves like creatures devoid of reason. ii. 15, 16; 8. Luke xv. 2; Rom. xii. 16; xv. 1—8; 1 Cor. xv. 32. Card. Bonaventura. (Life of Curist, ch. 14.)

Oh, the great Mystery of godliness! “Gop manifested in the flesh, and seen of Angels.” (1 Tim. iii. 16.) Those Heavenly spirits had, ever since they were made, seen His most glorious Deity and adored Him, as their Omnipotent Creator; but to see that Gop of spirits invested with flesh was such a wonder, as had been enough, if their nature could have been capable of it, to have astonished even glory itself: and whether to see Him, that was their Gop, so humbled below themselves, or to see Humanity thus advanced above themselves, were the greater wonder to them, they only know. Job xxxviii. 7; 18. Pet. i. 12; Heb. ii. 16. Bp. Hall. (Meditation on the Love of Curist, S. 4.)