each PERSON diflintily, 297 and fo Confider it as the fruit of Chrift's incarnation, it is all one as to our prefent bufinefs; his preferring the feed of Abraham before angels, his va- luing them, above the other is plainly expreffed. And obferve that he came to help the feed of Abraham, that is (a) believers, his efteetd and valuation is of them only. (2.) For their fakes he was fo made flefh, as that there was an empty- ing, an exivanition of himfelf, and an ecliplìng of his glory, and a be- coming poor for them, a Cor. viii. 9. re know the grace of our Lord jefiss Chri/f, that being rich, for us he became poor. Being rich in eternal glory with his father, `j`ohn xvii. 5. he became poor, for believers. The fame perfon that was rich, was alfo poor. That the riches here meant can he none but thole of the deity, is evident by its oppofition to the poverty which as man he undertook. This is allo more fully expreffed, Phil. 7. Who being in the form of God, counted it no robbery to be equal to God, but he emptied himfelf; taking the form of a fervant, and being made in the faJhion of a man, andfound in form as a man, &c. That the form of God is here the effence of the deity, fundry things inevitablyevince. As, [r.] That he was therein (b) equal to God, that is, his father. Now nothing but God, is equal to God, not (c) Chrift as he is mediator in his greateft glory, nothing but that which is infinite, is equal to that which is infinite. [a.] The form of God is oppofed to the form of a fervant, and that form ofafervant, is called the fashionof a man, v. 8. that fafhion wherein he was found when he gave himfelf to death. Wherein as a man he poured out his blood and died, pooredv i'bAo T72/82222,, he took the form of afervant is expounded in the next words óuo,.'umn bi6y mar 1o,( zv®, an expreflion -ufed to fet out his incarnation, Rom. viii. 3. Gad fent him Ir StcooiN ire wx1di [rem ní in taking true flefh he was in the likenefo of fulfill fi fii. -Now in thus doing, it is laid he humbled, emptied himfelf, made himfelf of no reputation. In the very taking of Beth, there was a condefcenlon, a debating of the perfon of the fon of God, it could not he without it. If God humbled himfelf to behold the things that are in heaven and earth, P!'al. cxiii. 6. then certainly it was an inconceiv- able condefcenfion and,abafement not only to behold, but take upon him, into perlonal union, our mature with himfelf. And though nothing could poffibly be taken off from the effential glory of the deity, yet that perfon appearing in the fafhion of a man, and form of a fervant, the glory of it as to the manifeftatton was eclipfed ; and he appeared (d) quite another thing, than what indeed he was, and had been from eternity. Hence he prays, that bis father would glorifie him, with the glory loe had before the world seas, Jolt. xvii. 3. as to the manifeftationof rt. And fo though the divine nature was not abafed, the perfon was. (3.) For their fakes he fo humbled and emptied himfelf in taking flefli, as to become therein a fervant, in the eyes of the world of no efleem nor account, and a true and real fervant (e) unto the father; for their fakes he humbled himfelf and became obedient. All that he did and fuffered in his life, comes under this confideration. All which may be referred to theft three heads (f). Firfl, Fulfilling all righteoufnefs. Secondly, Endur- ing all manner of perfecutions and hardfhips. Thirdly, Doing all manner of good to men. He took on him for their fakes a life, and courfe pointed (a) Ron, iv. 27. Gal. ìü. 7. (5) See vied. Hon. cap. xiii. (o) Joh. xiv. :a. (d) ILL Ea, ,, (e) tío. xlii, a. x9. Jot,. xiv. sc. (f) Mach, ìii 15. Ffff to,
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