Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

140 cA 7)eclarationofthe Glorious .M y s T E Rx own divine nature, he performed it, by taking our nature on him, making it his own. He defcended as much beneath himfelf in his felf humiliation, as Adam defigned tó Rfcend above himfelf in his pride and felf exaltation. The cónfiderationof the divinegrace and wifdom'herein the apoftle propof- nth unto us, Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8.'WYho being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to'be'equal with God. But'made himfelfofno reputation, andtook upon him theform ofa fervant, and was made in the likenefs of man; and beingfound in fafbion as a man, he humbled bimfelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death 'of the croft. Adanebeing in the form, that is, the Bate and condition of a fervant, did by robbery attempt to take op- on hitos shefbs-mofGod, or to intake himfeifequal -sassta him. The-Lord Chrift being in the form of God, that is, his'effenrial 'form of the fame nature with him,accounted at no robbery"to bein the Bate and condition ofGod, to 'be equal to him. But being made in the fafhion of a man, taking on hint ,bur 'nature, Isealiokfubmitted"unto the form or the Bate andcondition of a fervant therein. He had dominion over all, owed fervice and obedience . unto none, being in the form of God, and equal unto him, the condition which Adam afpired unto. But he condefcended unto a Bate ofabfolute fnbjeftion and fervice for our recovery. This did no More belong unto him on his own account, than it belonged unto Adam to be like unto 'God, or equal to trim. Wherefore it is Maid that he humbled himfelf 'Unto 'it, as Adam would have exalted himfelf unto a Bate of dignity 'which was not his due. This'fubmiflìon ofthe Son of God unto an eftate of abfolute and univerfal fervice, is declared by the apoftle, Heb. x. 5 'Fbrthofe words of the Pfalmifl Mine ears haft thou digged or bored, `MI. XI. '6. he renders, a body haft thou preparedme. There is an ailullon ïpp'the`words of the prophecy unto him under the law, who gave np him- 'félf in abfolute' and perpetualfervice i in fign whereof his ears were bored srüh an awl. 'So the body of ChiriB was prepared'for hiss, that therein he Might ' be in "a Bate of abfolute fervice unto God. So he became to have nothing ofhis own, the original Bate that Adam would have forfaken, no not his' life, he was obedient unto the death. This way did di- vine wlfdom find out and contrive, whereby more glory did arife unto the holinefs and righteoufnefsof God, from Isiscondefcenion unto uni- perfal fervice and obedience, who was over all God bleffed for ever ç than difhonour was can upon them by the felt exaltationof him, wino be- ing in all risings a fervant, defigned tobe like unto God. 2. Adam was poor in himfelf as a creatute waft be. What riches he had 'in his hand or power, they were none of his own, they were only trifted with him for efpecial fervice. In this Bate of poverty he com- mits the robbery of attempting to be like unto God. Being poor hewould .make himfelf rich' by the rapine Of an equality with God. This brought (Sullins and us all, as it was meet it ihoisld, the lofs of all that we were antrdited with. 'Hereby we loft the image ofGod, loft our right unto the Creatures here below, loft our felves and our fouls. This was the -itfue ofhis attempt, to be rich when he u-as poor. In this Bate infinite wif- do'ni hath'provided for our relief unto the glory ofGod. For the Lord fefusChrf' being rieh in himfelf for ourfakes he became poor, that see through his poverty might be rich, 2 Cor. viii. 9. He was rich in that riches which Adam defignedby robbery. `For he was in the form of God, and accounted it no robbery to be equal With God. But he made him- iblf poor for ourfakes, with poverty which Adam would haver linquilh- ed i yea to that degree that he had no where to lay his head, he had. no- thing. Hereby hemade'n compenfation for what-he never made ffgil of, or paid what he never took. In this cosidefcenfion ofhis, out of grace and

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