592 THE GLORY oR OH$IST AS GOO-MAN. Now a great and pious writer of this age has observed, that we never find the divine nature, or godhead, propounded to us, as an example of self- denial or humility in all the bible ; though God commands our conformity to himself, in holiness, love and beneficence. Therefore it must be some inferior nature, or Christ's human soul is proposed as an example of humility, and self:denial ; and a glorious example it was, when it di- vested itself of such a god-like form, and such a pre-existent glory. 2. Christ's being in the form of God cannot here neces- sarily signify his godhead, because it is represented as inconsis- tent with the state of his humiliation ; for he seems to put off this form of God, or he emptied himself of it, andput on the opposite form, viz. the form of a servant, when he became in- carnate, or was made in the likeness of men. But it is plain that lie could not put offhis godhead when he became incarnate : Therefore it must refer to his human soul which was in the form of God, or which made these god-like appearances before his incarnation, and he put off this divine form, when he took on him the fashion of a man, and the form of a servant. Besides, the form of God can never be proved to signify his divine nature in this place ; for there is no expression like it in scripture, that signifies proper divinity. Nor indeed does won properly signify nature or essence any where in the bible, that 1 can find, but only appearance, shape, or likeness. See the large citation out of Dr. Thomas Goodwin, within a few pages following, pages 812, 813. Observe also that the form of God stands here expressly opposed to the form of a servant Now Christ was not directly and expressly in the condition of -a servant in the civil life here on earth, though he " condescended to perform servile offices upon some occasions; but at the same time he claimed the authority of a master, over those very per- sons for, or towards whom he performed servile offices : The condition of our Saviour therefore, whilst on earth, though it was always mean, yet was not properly that of a servant ; and consequently, since his being in the form of a servant, cannot possibly signify more than his acting sometimes as a servant, though he was not such by condition of life, it is plain that his being in the form of God cannot possibly signify his being by nature the very God." But rather his appearing sometimes heretofore and acting as God. S'o Dr. Bennet, on the Trinity, chapter VII. page 45-50. who is a zealous defender of the deity of Christ against Dr. Clarke. '3. Consider further, it seems to be that same nature emptied itself which was afterwards filled with glory as, a re- compence : And it is the same nature that is said to humble itself, which was afterwards highly exalted by God : Now this was
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=