124        The Deity of Jeſus Chriſt         Sect. III.

' for a maſter to give himſelf up to death
' on purpoſe to ranſom ſlaves; and ſuch
' ſlaves as were his enemies.'—Here it is ne-
ceſſary to conſider the love of the Father,
and the love of the Son, in a ſeparate view.
The Father gives, not himſelf, but Jeſus
Chriſt, to die for us; and Chriſt it is man-
ifeſt, cannot be called maſter, with regard
to God. In that reſpect, he is as much a
ſervant as any of us; he being God's own
creature and ſubject to his laws. God,
therefore, does not give a maſter, but his own
ſervant. He is, indeed, the moſt perfect of
all that ever bore the character, yet he is
but a ſervant, and muſt be ſo for ever. So
that though the love of God is manifeſted,
in ſaving his enemies from deſerved ruin ;
yet the excellence of that love is far from
appearing in the gift of a ſervant -A ſervant,
that owes his exiſtence to a ſovereign act of
Divine power, and all his bleſſedneſs to the
communications of Divine ſavour—A ſer-
vant, who, in the redemption of ſinners loſes
neither his holineſs, happineſs, nor glory;
who loſes his, life but for three days, by which
loſs he obtained the empire of the univerſe;
and who, conſequently, ſacrifices no great
matter on his part. For if he be a mere
creature ; if, in ſuffering, he have nothing
to Fear but death itſelf; iF, by his ſuffer-
ings, he obtained eternal Felicity For thoſe
                                                                      he