_ The Lord Christ, undertaking the work of our redemption, was not on the account of the dignity of his person to be spared in any thing that was necessary thereunto. He was enabled by it to under- take and perform his work; but he was not for it spared any part of it. It is all one for that; “although he were a Son,” he must now “learn obedience.’ And this we have sufficiently cleared on the former verse. And we may hence observe, that,—
. Obs. I. Infinite love prevailed with the Son of God to lay aside the privilege of his infinite dignity, that he might suffer for us and our redemption.
“Although he were a Son, yet he learned,” etc. 1. The name of “Son” carrieth with it infinite dignity, as our apostle proves at large, chap. i. 8, 4, ete. The Son;—that is, “the Son of the living
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526 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
God,” Matt. xvi. 16; “ the only-begotten of the Father,” John i. 145 he who “in the beginning was with God, and was God,” John i. 1, 2. For as he was “‘ God’s own Son,” Rom. viii. 3; he was “in the form of God, equal with him,” Phil. ii. 5, 6; one with him, John x. 30. So that infinite glory and dignity were inseparable from him. And so long as he would make use of this privilege, it was impossible he should be exposed to the least suffering, nor could the wholé creation divest him of the least appurtenance of it. But, 2, He vo- luntarily laid aside the consideration, advantage, and exercise of it, that he might suffer for us. This our apostle fully expresseth, Phil. i. 5-8, “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obe- dient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Concerning which we must observe,—That the Son of God could not absolutely and really part with his efernal glory. Whatever he did, he was thé Son of God, and God still. Neither by any thing he did, nor any thing he suffered, nor any condition he underwent, did he really forego, nor was it possible he should so do, any thing of his divine glory. He was no less God when he died than when he was “de- clared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead.” But he is said to “ empty himself” of his divine glory,—1. With respect unto the infinite condescension of his person; 2, With respect unto the manifestations of it in this world :—
1. Of his condescension, when he forewent the privilege of his eternal glory, the apostle observes sundry degrees. (1.) In his taking of our nature on him. He “took on him the form of a servant ;’ and therein “made himself of no reputation,”"—that is; comparatively unto the glory which he had “in the form of God,” wherein he was “ equal with God,” that is, the Father, Hence “the Word was made flesh,” John i. 14; or, “God was manifest in the flesh,” 1 Tim, iii. 16. This was an infinite, unspeakable, unconceiv- able condescension of the Son of God, namely, to take our nature into’ union with himself; whereby he who was God, like'unto the Father in all things, “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,” became a man like unto us in all things, sin only ex- cepted. (2.) In his so becoming a man as to take on him “ the’ form of a servant.’ He did not immediately take the nature he had assumed into glory ; but he first became a “servant” in it,—a’ servant to God, to do his will, and that in the most difficult ser-. vice that ever God had to do in this world. (3.) In that in this service he “made himself of no reputation.” The work, indeed, he undertook, was great and honourable, as we have before declared ;.
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but the way and manner whereby he did accomplish it was such as exposed him unto scorn, reproach, and contempt in the world, Isa. liti. 1,2; Ps. xxii. 6, 7. (4.) In that in this work he “ became obedient unto death.” Had he staid at the former degrees, his con- descension had been for ever to be admired and adored ; this only remains to be added, that he should die, and that penally and pain- fully. And this also he submitted unto. The Prince, the Author, the God of life, became obedient unto death! which also, (5.) Hath an aggravation added to it,—it was “the death of the cross,” a shameful, ignominious, cursed death. In all thesethings did he lay aside the privi- lege of his infinite dignity; all this he did “although he were a Son.” 2. As to manifestation. He did, as it were, hide and eclipse unto the world all the glory of his divine person, under the veil of flesh which he had taken on him. Hence at the close of this dispensation, when he was finishing the work committed to him, he prays, John xvii, 5, “ O Father, glorify thou me with that glory which I had with thee before the world was ;’—‘Let that glory which was necessarily hid and eclipsed in my debasement, wherein I have been made low for the suffering of death, now shine forth again conspicu- ously. Now the reason why the Son of God did thus forego the privilege and dignity of his glory, was his infinite love. ‘Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself like- wise took part of the same,” Heb, ii. 14. The reason why he con- descended unto this condition, was, that he might redeem and save the children which God gave unto him; and this out of his own unspeakable love towards them, Gal. ii. 20; Rev, 1,5; Phil. iz 5. This was that which engaged him into, and carried him through his great undertakings.