(3.) He expresseth this condescension of God in the affections and acting of his mind towards man: %313!N "3 ,—“ That thou re- memberest him,” or, “art mindful of him.” "Ors pwipvioxn abrot,— “That thou shouldest be mindful of him.” To remember in the Scripture, when ascribed unto God, always intends some act of his mind and purpose of his will, and that either for good or evil to- wards them that are remembered, in a signal manner. So also is remembrance itself used. On this account God is said sometimes to remember us for good, and sometimes to remember our sins no more. So that it denotes the affection of the mind of God towards any creature for good or evil, attended with the purpose of his will to act towards them accordingly. In the first way it is here used, and so also by Job, chap. vii. 17, 122 Yes MYND weAIN 1D wiagTTD, —“ What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine héart upon him?” that is, remember him, or be mindful of him; ‘set thine heart upon him for good.’ The frame of the heart and mind of God towards the nature of man in the person of Jesus Christ, in reference unto all the good that he did in it and by it, is intended in this expression. The whole counsel and pur- pose of God concerning the salvation of mankind, in and by the humiliation, exaltation, and whole mediation of “the man Christ Jesus,” is couched herein.
(4.) There are in this condescension the effects of this act of God’s mind and will in remembering of man; and they are expressed, [1.] under one general head; and, [2.] in particular instances of them.
_[1.] The general effect of God’s remembering man, is that he “visiteth him;” as the same word is used in Job, in the place before mentioned. 72, though variously used, yet it constantly denotes the acting of a superior towards an inferior; and though it be often otherwise used, yet commonly it expresseth the acting of God to- wards his people for good. And in especial is this term of visiting VOL. XX. 22
338 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. II.
used to express the acting of God in doing of us good by sending of Jesus Christ to take our nature on him: Luke i, 638, “ He hath visited and redeemed his people;’ and to the same purpose, verse 78, “The day-spring from on high hath visited us:” both relating to the acting of God towards us in the person of his Son incarnate. So chap. vii. 16. This term, therefore, of visiting, doth not precisely design God’s acting in the exaltation of him visited, but such an ordering of things towards him as is attended with great care, grace, and love. So was the nature of man in the heart of God to do good unto it, in and by the person of Jesus Christ, and so he acted to- wards it, or visited it. This is that which was the ground of the psalmist’s admiration, and which will be so in all believers unto eter- nity. It was not the outward state and condition of mankind in the world, which, since the entrance of sin, is sad and deplorable, that excites this admiration in the psalmist, but his mind is intent upon the mystery of the grace, wisdom, and love of God in the person of the Messiah.
Ver. 7.—[2.] The especial instances wherein this visitation of God expressed itself are contained in verse 7, and therein referred unto two heads: Is¢. Man’s depression and humiliation; 2dly. His exal- tation and glory.
1st. The first is expressed in these words, “Thou hast made him lower for a little while than the angels.’ This was a part of God’s visitation ; and though not that which was immediately intended by the apostle, yet that whereof he intends to make great use in his progress. That these words intend not the exaltation of the nature of mere man, as if they should intimate, that such is his dignity he is made but a little less than angels, and how destructive that sense is unto the apostle’s intention and application of the words, we shall afterwards declare. Three things are here expressed :— (1st.) The act of God, in making of him low, or lessening of him; (2dly.) The measure of that depression, “than the angels;” (3dly.) His duration in that state and condition, “a little while.”
(1st.) 720, the word used by the psalmist is rendered by the apostle ékarréw, and that properly. They both signify a diminution of state and condition, a depression of any one from what he before enjoyed. And this in the first place belongs unto God’s visitation. And the acting of the will of Christ in this matter, suitably unto the will of the Father, is expressed by words of the same import- ance: *Exévwoev eavrdv, “ He emptied himself;” and * Erasivwoev tardy, “ He humbled himself,” Phil. ii, 7, 8: denoting a voluntary depres- sion from the glory of a former state and condition. In this humi- liation of Christ in our nature, how much of that care and éasoxorhs, inspection and visitation of God, was contained, is known.
(2dly.) The measure of this humiliation and depression is expressed