them with his favour, both hered, and in the eternal world e. They see in such characters religion adorned and honoured f. Would you then, brethren, recommend religion, cultivate this spirit, and account yourselves the lowest of all and the least of alls!]
(1 1 Pet. v. 5. e Luke xviii. 14.
f 1 Pet. in. 4. si Cor. xv. 9.
Christ's humiliation.
Phil. ii. 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 repu- tation, 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 obedient unto death, even the death of the cross*
ONE of the strongest characteristics of our fallen nature is selfishness. The one desire of an unre- generate man is to gratify self. Even those actions in which he seems to have most respect to God or to his fellow-creatures, will, if carefully examined, and weighed in the balance of the sanctuary, be found to have self for their principle, and self for their end. This disposition being so deeply rooted in the heart, we cannot but expect that it should operate to a cer- tain degree, even after the evil of it is discerned, and after its allowed dominion has ceased. Doubtless there were many pious Christians in the Roman Church, as well as Timothy : yet St. Paul com- plained that all of them, excepting him, were in some degree under the influence of a selfish spirit, and " sought their own things rather than the things of Jesus Christ." Against this thing therefore he
a This subject might well be treated thus: — 1. What the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. 2. What he expects us to do for him ; i. e. to have the same mind toward others as he has had toward us ; and to manifest it, as far as possible, in the same way ; accounting nothing too much to do or suffer for the salvation of men.
2145. J Christ's humiliation. 51
cautioned the Philippians in a most affectionate man- ner ; beseeching them, with all earnestness, to " fulfil his joy," in " being all of one accord and of one mind ;" exhorting them to " esteem others better than them- selves ;" and " not to look every man on his own things, but also on the things of others." To give the greater weight and efficacy to his exhortations, he then reminded them of the conduct of Christ towards them, and recommended it as the best pattern for their conduct towards each other : " Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."
The words of the Apostle lead us to consider the humiliation of Christ in a twofold view — As a fact to be believed, and as a pattern to be imitated.
I. Let us consider it as a fact to be believed —
The two leading steps of Christ's humiliation were, his incarnation and his death, —
Previous to his incarnation, he existed in a state of inconceivable glory and bliss. He " had a glory with the Father before the worlds were made." He " was in the bosom of the Father" from all eternity. He was " the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person." It was in and by him that God, on various occasions, appeared to men ; and hence it is that the Apostle calls him " the Image of the invisible God ;" not only because he bore a peculiar resemblance to the Deity, but chiefly because the Godhead, which was never seen in the person of the Father, was seen by many in the person of Christ. We are informed, in the text, that Christ was not only in the form " of God," but that " he thought it not robbery to be equal with God," or, as the words more strictly mean, to be as Godh. He assumed to himself all the titles, attributes, and perfections of the Deity. He claimed