The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

If the Lord had assumed our Nature in its most honourable Condition, and appeared in its Beauty, the condescension were infinite: For although Men are distinguished among themselves by Titles of Honour, yet as two Glowworms that shine with an unequal brightness in the Night, are equally obscured by the light of the Sun; So all men, those that are advanced to the most eminent degree, as well as the most abject and wretched, are in the same distance from God. But He emptied himself of all his Glory; ¹he grew up as a tender Plant, and as a Root out of a dry ground, there was no Form or Comeliness in him. From his Birth to the time of his Preaching he lived so privately, as only known under the quality of the Carpenters Son. There was a continual repression of that inconceivable Glory, that was due to him the first moment of his appearing among Men. In short, His despised Condition was an abasement not only of his Divinity, but his Humanity. And how conspicuous was his Love in this darkening Condescension?² We know the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; that though he was rich, he became ⟨p. 171⟩poor for our sakes. He did not assume that which was due to the excellency of his Nature, but what was convenient for our Redemption, which was to be accomplished by Sufferings.

If the Lord had assumed our Nature in its most honourable Condition, and appeared in its Beauty, the condescension were infinite: For although Men are distinguish'd among themselves by Titles of Honour, yet as two Gloworms that shine with an unequal brightness in the Night, are equally obscured by the light of the Sun; So all men, those that are advanc'd to the most eminent degree, as well as the most abject and wretehed, are in the same distance from God. But He emptied himself of all his Glory; ¹he grew up as a tender Plant, and as a Root out of a dry ground, there was no Form or Comliness in him. From his Birth to the time of his Preaching he lived so privately, as only known under the quality of the Carpenters Son. There was a continual repression of that inconceivable Glory, that was due to him the first moment of his appearing among Men. In short, His despised Condition was an abasement not only of his Divinity, but his Humanity. And how conspicuous was his Love in this darkning Condescension?