2. The Servile state of the Nature be assumed. An account of this we have in the Words of the Apostle. Let this mind be in you, 1which was also in Christ; who being in the form of God, that is, enjoying the Divine Nature with all its Glory eternally, and invariably. As to be in the form of a King, signifies not only to be a King, but to have all the conspicuous marks of Royalty, the Crown, Sceptre, Throne, the Guards and State of a King.2 Thus our Saviour possest that Glory that is truly Divine, before he took our nature. The Angels adored him in Heaven, and by him Princes reigned on the Earth. 'Tis added, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; that is, being the essential Image of the Father, he had a rightful possession of all his perfections. Yet he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of Man; this is a lower degree of condescension, than the assuming the naked humane nature. A Servant is not simply a Man, there being many Men of higher quality, but a Man in a low State. Now he that was in the form of God, lessened himself into the form of a servant, that is, took the humane nature without honour, attended with its infirmities; So that by the visible condition of his life, he was judged to be an ordinary person, and not that under that meanness the Lord of Angels had been concealed. This will more distinctly be understood, if we consider the lowness of his extraction, the poverty of his birth, and the tenor of his life whilst he conversed with Men. What Nation ⟨p. 169⟩was more despicable in the esteem of the World than the Jews? and Christ came of their stock;3 and among the Jews none were more vilified than the Galileans, and in Galilee-Nazareth was a contemptible village, and in Nazareth the Family of Joseph was very obscure, and to him our Saviour was nearly allied. His reputed Father was a Carpenter, and his Mother a poor Virgin, that offered two Pigeons for her purification. He first breathed in a Stable, and was covered with poor swaddling-clothes, who was Master of Heaven and Earth, and adorns all creatures with their glory. But Love made him who is Heir of all things, renounce the privilege of his supernatural Sonship. Incredible condescension!
2. The Servile state of the Nature be assumed. An account of this we have in the Words of the Apostle. Let this mind be in you, 1which was also in Christ; who being in the form of God, that is, injoying the Divine Nature with all its Glory eternally, and invariably. As to be in the form of a King, signifies not only to be a King, but to have all the conspicuous marks of Royalty, the Crown, Scepter, Throne, the Guards and State of a King.2 Thus our Saviour possest that Glory that is truly Divine, before he took our nature. The Angels adored him in Heaven, and by him Princes reigned on the Earth. 'Tis added, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; that is, being the essential Image of the Father, he had a rightful possession of all his perfections. Yet he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of Man; this is a lower degree of condescension, than the assuming the naked humane nature. A Servant is not simply a Man, there being many Men of higher quality, but a Man in a low State. Now he that was in the form of God, lessened himself into the form of a servant, that is, took the humane nature without honour, attended with its infirmities; So that by the visible condition of his life, he was judged to be an ordinary person, and not that under that meanness the Lord of Angels had been concealed. This will more distinctly be understood, if we consider the lowness of his extraction, the poverty of his birth, and the tenor of his life whilst he converst with Men. What Nation ⟨p. 169⟩was more despicable in the esteem of the World than the Jews? and Christ came of their stock;3 and among the Jews none were more vilified than the Galileans, and in Galilee-Nazareth was a contemptible village, and in Nazareth the Family of Joseph was very obscure, and to him our Saviour was nearly allied. His reputed Father was a Carpenter, and his Mother a poor Virgin, that offered two Pigeons for her purification. He first breathed in a Stable, and was covered with poor swadling-cloaths, who was Master of Heaven and Earth, and adorns all creatures with their glory. But Love made him who is Heir of all things, renounce the priviledge of his supernatural Sonship. Incredible condesension!
- 1Phil. 2.5, 6, 7, 8.
- 2John 17.5. Isa. 6.1, 2. Prov. 8.15.
- 3The Jews are called by Tacitus, Vilissima pars servientium. Lib. 5. Hist. Joh. 7.50. Joh. 1.46. Luk. 2.14. Levit. 11.
