He is, also, called "Lord," because in one person both natures, the human and divine, are united; and though he had not died for us, he had yet deserved, by this admirable union, to be constituted common Lord of all created things, particularly of those who, in all the fervour of their souls, obey and serve him.
Matter for exhortation supplied by this Article.It remains, therefore, that the pastor exhort the faithful to the consideration of these his claims to the title of "our Lord;" that we, who, taking our name from him are called Christians, and who cannot be ignorant of the extent of his favours, particularly in having enabled us to understand all these things by faith, may know the strict obligation we, above all others, are under, of devoting and consecrating ourselves for ever, like faithful servants, to our Redeemer and our Lord. This we promised when, at the baptismal font, we were initiated and introduced into the Church of God; for we then declared that we renounced the devil and the world, and gave ourselves unreservedly to Jesus Christ. But if, to be enrolled as soldiers of Christ, we consecrated ourselves by so holy and solemn a profession to our Lord, what punishments should we not deserve were we, after our entrance into the Church, and after having known the will and laws of God, and received the grace of the sacraments, to form our lives upon the laws and maxims of the world and the devil; as if, when cleansed in the waters of baptism, we had pledged our fidelity to the world and to the devil, and not to Christ our Lord and Saviour! What heart so cold as not to be inflamed with love by the benevolence and beneficence exercised towards us by so great a Lord, who, though holding us in his power and dominion, as slaves ransomed by his blood, yet embraces us with such ardent love as to call us not servants, but friends and brethren?"[1] This, assuredly, supplies the most just and, perhaps, the strongest claim to induce us always to acknowledge, venerate and adore him as "our Lord."
ARTICLE III.
"WHO WAS CONCEIVED OF THE HOLY GHOST, BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY."
Incarnation of the Son of God."Who was conceived of the holy Ghost"] From what has been said in the preceding Article, the faithful are given to understand that, in delivering us from the relentless tyranny of Satan, God has conferred a singular and invaluable blessing on the human race: but, if we place before our eyes the economy of redemption, in it the goodness and beneficence of God shine forth with incomparable splendour and magnificence. The pastor, then, will enter on the exposition of this third Article, by
- ↑ John xv. 14.
