dust with gold, — if he, I say, ahased him- self so for us, let us be willing to be abased for him. If the world reproach us for Clirist's sake, and cast dust on our name, let us bear it with patience. The apostles, Acts V. 41., departed from the council " rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ's name ;" that they were graced to be disgraced for Christ. That is a good saying of St. Austin, Q^idd mi detrahit famce inece, uddet mercedi mecB, — they who take away from a saint's name, shall add to his reward ; and while they make his credit weigli lighter, they make his crown weigh heavier. O was Christ content to be humbled and abased for us, to take our flesh, and to take it when it was in disgrace ! Let us not think much to be abased for Christ. Say as David, 2 Sam. vi. 22., " If this be to be vile, I will yet be
more vile." If to serve my Lord Chvist, if to keep my conscience pure, if this be to be vile, I will yet be more vile.
Use 3d. Of comfort. Jesus Christ hav- ing taken our flesh, hath ennobled our na- ture,— naiuram nostrum nobilitavit. Our nature is now invested with greater royal- ties and pri\aleges than in time of inno- cency. Before, in innoccncy, we were made in the image of God ; but now, Christ hav- ing assumed our nature, we arc made on^ with God ; our nature is ennobled above the angelical nature. Christ taking our flesh, hath made us nearer to himself than the angels. The angels are his friends, be- lievers are flesh of his flesh, his members, Eph. V. 30., and i. 23. And the same glory which is put upon Christ's human nature, shall be put upon believers.
CHRIST'S EXALTATION.
Phil. ii. 9. Jiliere/ure God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above
every name, &c.
BEFORE, we have spoken of Christ's humiliation ; now of his exaltation ; before, you saw the Sun of Righteousness in the eclipse ; now, you shall see it coming out of the eclipse, and shining in its full splen- dour and glory : " WJierefore God hath highly exalted him," — super exaltavit, A.aibr. " Above all exaltation."
Quest. XXVIII. Wherein consists Christ" s exaltation ?
Ans. In his rising from the dead, his as- cending into heaven, and sitting at the right hand of God the Father, &c.
Quest. In what sense hath God exalted Christ ?
Ans. Not in respect of Christ's Godhead, for that cannot be exalted higher than it is ; as in Christ's humiliation the Godhead was not lower, so in his exaltation, the Godhead is not higher; but Christ is ex- alted as Mediator, his human nature is ex- alted.
Quest. How many ways is Christ exalted?
Ans. Five ways : God hath exalted Christ, I. In his titles. 2. In his office. 3. In his
ascension. 4. In his session at God's right hand. 5. In constituting him judge of the world.
1. First title. God hath exalted Christ in his titles. 1. He is exalted to be a Lord, Acts ix. 17., " The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." He is a Lord in respect of his sovereignty ; he is Lord over angels and men. Mat. xxviii. 18., " All power is given unto me." Christ hath three keys in his hand, — the key of the grave, to open the graves of men at the resurrection, — the key of heaven, to open the kingdom of hea- ven to whom he will, — the key of hell, Rev. i. 18., to lock up the damned in that fiery prison. To this Lord all knees must bow, Phil. ii. 10., " That at the name of Je- sus every knee should bow :" nnjne, is put here for person, — to that holy thing Jesus, to the sceptre of that di^dne person every knee shall bow. Bowing is put for sidgec- tion,—a\\ must be subdued to him as sons or captives, submit to him as to the Lord or Judge; "Kiss the Son," Ps. ii. 12., with a kiss of love and loyalty. We must
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CHRIST'S EXALTATION.
not only cast ourselves into Christ's arms to be saved by him, but we must cast our- selves at liis feet, to serve him.
Second title. Christ is exalted to be a prince: Dan. xii. 1., "There shall stand up Michael the gi-eat prince;" some think it was a created angel, but it was Angelus foederis, Christ the angel of the covenant. He is a great prince, Rev. i. 5., " The prince of the kings of the eartli." They hold tlieir crowns by immediate tenure from him; his throne is above the stars, he hath angels and archangels for his at- tendants. Thus he is exalted in his titles of honour.