The psalmist saith of Christ, that "he was fairer than the children
of men;" and that, as I believe in his outward man as well as in his
inward part, he was the exactest, purest, completest, and
beautifulest creature that ever God made, till his visage was so
marred by his persecutions; for in all things he had, and shall have
the preeminence.

THE HUMILIATION OF CHRIST

Christ did not only come into our flesh, but also into our
condition, into the valley and shadow of death, where we were, and
where we are, as we are sinners.

That which would have been death to some--the laying aside of glory,
and the King of princes becoming a servant of the meanest form--this
he of his own goodwill was heartily content to do. Wherefore he that
was once the object of the fear of angels, is now become a little
creature, a worm, an inferior one, born of a woman, brought forth in
a stable, laid in a manger, scorned of men, tempted of devils, was
beholden to his creatures for food, for raiment, for harbor, and a
place wherein to lay his head when dead. In a word, he made himself
of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was made
in the likeness of men, that he might become capable to do this
kindness for us, to give himself a ransom for us.

And it is worth your noting, that all the while that he was in the
world, putting himself upon those other preparations which were to
be antecedent to his being made a sacrifice for us, no man, though
he told what he came about to many, had, as we read of, a heart once