Christ in Human Flesh

By flesh is meant human nature, the property of human nature, both body and soul. By flesh is also understood the infirmities and weakness of man. So, 'He was manifested in the flesh' (1 Tim. 3:16) means in our nature and the properties of it, he put it all on; our infirmities, and weaknesses, our miseries. What is more, he took our flesh when it was tainted with treason, not when it was innocent in the garden but after it was fallen. All of this is a wondrous product of his love, causing him to be full of pity and compassion.
You might say, 'How can he be truly full of pity? There are many infirmities that he did not take upon himself.' I answer, by comparison to those that he did take, he knows how to be full of pity to those experiencing things he did not take. He is infinitely wise. He knows how to make the correlation.
But some will say, 'He took my nature and the general infirmities, as weariness, and hunger; but I am also sick and troubled in my mind and conscience.' I answer, for the trouble of mind, he knew it in the great desertion, when he cried out, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' (Matt. 27:46). He was not sick himself; but by the experience of labour, and thirst, and the like, he knows what it is to be sick. He knew not what it is to sin and to be troubled for sin, because he did not sin himself; but being our surety for sin, and feeling the wrath of God for it, he had the experience of that so that he can be compassionate to us. He was weary, to pity those who are weary; he was hungry, to pity those who are hungry; he was poor, to pity those who are poor; he was misused and reproached, to pity those who are in like condition. You can name nothing, but he can out of his own experience be merciful and full of pity to those experiencing it.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Fountain Opened, Works, vol. 5, pp. 479-80
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