Thirdly, There is the application and improvement of these things unto our practice : " Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus;" which is the thing I principally aim at, though I cannot reach unto it at this time.
The words, so far as we are concerned, will be opened in our pas sage. I shall take these two propositions from them : —
First, That it was an infinite, mysterious self-humiliation and con descension in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to take our nature upon him, with reference unto the office of a mediator. That is the truth which the apostle designs here to demonstrate.
Secondly, That there is a spiritual greatness of mind, like unto the mind that was in Christ, required of all believers, unto that self- denial and unto those sufferings which they may be called unto for
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the gospel, and are like to be : " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus/'
I shall now treat of the first, that it was an infinite, mysterious self-humiliation of the Son of God, in taking upon him our nature, for the discharge of the office of a mediator. I shall, — 1. Prove it in general; 2. Show wherein it consists; and, 3. Make some use of it, if I am able.
1. For the proof of it, I would lay down but that one considera tion which you have, Ps. cxiii. 5, 6, " Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth ! " Such is the infinite perfection of the divine nature, that it is an act of self-humiliation, it is a condescension from the prerogative of his excellency and glory, to take notice of the most glorious things in heaven, and of the greatest things upon the earth.
And it is so upon these two accounts: —
(1.) Upon the account of that infinite distance which is between his nature, being, and essence, and the nature, being, and essence of any creature of any kind. Hence, Isa. xl. 15, 17, it is said, "The na tions are before him as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: all nations are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity/' He is the infinite Being; and in comparison of him all creatures are " nothing/' even " less than no thing/' Now, there is no measure, no proportion, between an infinite Being and nothing and that which is as nothing : so that there can be no reason why an infinite Being should have any regard unto that which is as nothing, but its own infinite condescension. They are vain thoughts and imaginations of men that would find out foreseen causes in ourselves of God's eternal election, in the first choice he makes of us. There is no proportion between an infinite Being and nothing. Isa. Ivii. 15, He is- " the high and lofty One that inhabit- eth eternity;" and, "To this man will I look, even to him that is of an humble heart and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word/' He is " the high and holy One that inhabiteth eternity," who exists in his own eternal being ; and what is beyond that is a bowing down to look on " him who is of an humble heart and of a contrite spirit." The most glorious exaltation that a creature can have brings him not one step nearer the essence of God than a worm ; for between that which is infinite and that which is not in finite there is no proportion. That is the first reason : God " hum bleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth," because of the infinite distance that is between his nature and the nature of all things.
(2.) Because of his infinite self-sufficiency to all the ends of his
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own blessedness and eternal satisfaction. Whatever we desire, it is that it may add unto our satisfaction. There is no creature in hea ven or earth that is self-sufficient. The top of the creation, the flower, the glory of it, is the human nature of Christ ; yet is it not self-sufficient. It eternally lives in dependence on God and by com munications from the divine nature. No creature can be self-suffi cient. No angel in heaven or man on earth who can have any desire, or act any thing, but it is to add to his satisfaction ; and therefore he takes the reason of what he doth from without. But, saith the apostle, ' God stands in need of nothing, inasmuch as he gives life and breath to all things/ There is nothing can add unto God, unto his satisfaction. There is nothing wanting in himself unto his own eternal blessedness : Job xxxv. 6, " If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?" God loses nothing of his own eternal sufficiency: Verse 7, " If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?" There can be no addition made unto God. Therefore it must be an infinite condescension in him and a hum bling of himself, to behold the things done in heaven and on earth.