to illustrate the infinite condescension of Christ in his humiliation.

But on the Socinian hypothesis that Christ is only a man, how absurd the assertion that he did not covet to be equal with God! As if his not impiously aspiring after divine honours, which, as a man, would be the evidence of the most daring pride, could be an illustration of great humility. And how entirely the beauty and force of the Apostle's reasoning are lost, when, according to the Socinian interpretation, that by being in the form of God, and equal with God, is most strangely and absurdly meant, the power of working miracles, Christ is represented merely, as not eagerly coveting, nor ostentatiously displaying the exercise of his miraculous gifts!

On the contrary; with what force and interest does the Apostle, according to the orthodox construction of his declarations, contrast the preexistent dignity of Christ, when being in the form of God, he did not think that he took what did not belong to him when he claimed an equality with God,-with that state of humiliation into which he descended when he took upon him the "form of a servant,", and was "made in the likeness of men, and was found in fashion as a man, and humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross!" How does it illustrate and establish the profound humility, and the infinite condescension of Jesus

Christ, in thus making himself of no reputation, when we consider him as possessed of divine attributes and receiving divine honours, being so in the form of God as to be equal with God!

III. It is this humiliation of Christ, in his assumption of the nature of man, and in the course of suffering, and in the ignominious death to which he submitted-which the Apostle sets forth in the subsequent verses-" He 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."

These words, which are plainly put in contrast with the preceding, prove that the construction given to these latter, by which the divinity of Christ is established, is correct. For surely the expressions, "making himself of no reputation, and taking upon himself the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man," denote, with the utmost force of language, the incarnation of Christ, and his subjection to suffering and death. The contrast is then only complete, when we refer the former to the Divine nature and dignity of Christ.

"He made himself of no reputation "-or as the original word may be rendered-he emptied himself. He gave up the enjoyment of his divine glories and honours which he had with the Father before the world was. And the mode in which this abasement was effected, the next words state" and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man." In an incomprehensible manner, his Divine nature was united to the nature of man; and thus his Divine attributes and glory were veiled in a human form. Unchangeable indeed was the divinity of Christ. It was not, it could not be confounded with the mortal form, which it mysteriously pervaded. In his person the two natures, divine and human, were incomprehensibly united. Equal to the Father," as touching his unchangeable "Godhead," he was “inferior as touching his manhood "." Nor was it merely the nature of man which he assumed. He placed himself in the most suffering condition of humanity; taking upon him "the form of a servant "-choosing the most obscure and abject condition; entering into the world in a manger; growing up as "a root out of a dry ground, never refreshed by the genial comforts of refined and polished life; wandering without "a place to

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d Isaiah liii. 2.

d ""

lay his head;" making his abode with publicans and sinners; and so low and humble in his lot, that men saw "no beauty that they should desire him"-" He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

Yet still further was his humiliation extended. Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled. himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

Observe, my brethren, the force of the expression, "being found in fashion as a man.' If Christ were no more than man, would not the natural and correct phrase have been, "being man." But being found in fashion as a man, having all the circumstances of man, he was in reality more than man. All the appendages of humanity with which he was invested, only concealed the divine glories which animated his human nature. And thus being found by his implacable persecutors as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. But if Christ were no more than man, where was the extraordinary humility in his obedience unto death? What condescension does it discover in submitting to a calamity which we cannot avoid? Who would say that a man discovered extraordinary humility in submitting to the sentence pronounced on every man, "Thou shalt surely die?" But when

the Lord of life and of death became obedient unto death; when the Creator, clothed with mortality, paid the forfeit incurred by the creature ; and when that death, too, was the death of the cross; then, was humility displayed transcending our conceptions; and then inexpressible force is given to the Apostle's illustration of the humility and condescension of Jesus Christ!

But his humiliation was not without a reward. For the Apostle proceeds so set forth,

IV. Lastly, the exaltation of Christ in his nature as man, and in his character as Mediator, to supreme authority and dominion-so that divine honours are rendered to him, to the glory of God the Father. "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 on earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

From the beginning, or ever the world was, Christ "was God, was with God," possessing divine honours and glories, and receiving the worship of the Heavenly host. And as God, Christ, when he took upon him human nature, possessed divine attributes and received divine

• John i. 1.