God gave a revelation of his will to Adam; our first parents transgressed, but then in mercy a promise was given, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. God gave a further revelation of his will to Moses, with promises and commands, and elected from among the nations a peculiar people, of whom from the line of Jesse after the flesh should arise the Messiah; in Him are all the promises and prophecies centred, and through him the great revelation of God's purposes of mercy to a fallen world was ordained to be published. The Messiah came; He of whom Isaiah prophesied; the despised and rejected of men--God manifest in the flesh. The prophet's words were verified, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."[23] [23] Isa. liii. 5. This is the Christian revelation, which, while it shows us our lost and sinful nature, our utter unworthiness, and the insufficiency of good works for salvation--whilst it humbles our pride, and self-sufficiency, and teaches that our place before God is in the dust, yet it speaks of joy and peace, for it points out what is all-important, the mode of redemption, the forgiveness of our sins, our adoption as heirs of the kingdom of heaven. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."[24] God reveals himself in his works as a God of wisdom and power; but here he discovers himself as a God of truth, justice, and mercy. He reveals himself as the triune Jehovah, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, one God for evermore; and he gives us a revelation of the plan of salvation. And what is this plan? it is one by which justice and mercy are reconciled. "Without shedding of blood is no remission" of sins. The Son of God, according to the Divine promise, took upon himself our human nature, dwelt upon earth, sinless, and offered himself up as a sacrifice for sin on Calvary. He "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, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."[25] [24] 1 John iv. 9. [25] Philippians ii. 6-11.