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We know the terror of the Lord, and therefore fuade men. Happy would it be, if men, knowing and confidering these terrors, would fuffer themselves to be perfuaded. Which God grant, through Jefus Chrift our Lord: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghoft, be afcribed all honour and glory, henceforth, and for evermore, Amen.

DISCOURSE L.

PART I.

PHILIPPIANS ii. 6—11.

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 fervant, 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. Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jefus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

THE words now read to you have been strongly debated by Chriftians differing in opinion about the perfon and dignity of our bleffed Saviour; and, as they are often handled, lead more certainly to the knowledge of the interpreter's opinion than of the. Apostle's.

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I intend not to press them into the service of particular opinion, but fairly to expound them; and to infer nothing from them, but what may evidently

be fhewn to be in them, even by the neceffity of the Apostle's argument. To avoid obfcurity and confufion, I fhall proceed in the following method:

First, I fhall represent to you the Apoftle's argument entire and by itself.

Secondly, I fhall confider the feveral things implied in it; which, with respect to this particular argument, we may call the principles upon which the Apostle reasons.

Thirdly, By comparing one part with another, I fhall endeavour to lay before you the true fenfe and meaning of each part.

First then, I fhall reprefent to you the Apostle's argument entire and by itself.

At the beginning of this fecond chapter, St. Paul exhorts the Philippians to be at peace and unity among themselves, to love one another, and to be of the same mind, mutually aiding and affifting each other in all things. Hear his own words: If there be therefore any confolation in Chrift, if any comfort. of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies; fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the fame love, being of one accord, of one mind. And then, like a wife physician, he searches to the bottom of the evil, which he would cure; and, well knowing that pride and vainglory are the perpetual fources of ftrife and contention, the bane of mutual love and charity, he exhorts them to fly from these evils, preffes them to lowlinefs of mind, and admonishes them not to overvalue themselves, nor undervalue others; but that they fhould practife humility towards one another, each efteeming other better

than themselves. Thus far he advances in the two next verses: Let nothing be done through ftrife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themfelves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man alfo on the things of others.

To fupport this doctrine, and to enforce their obedience to it, he fets before them the example of Chrift; and in lively colours reprefents his great humility he fhews them how much below himself he defcended for their fakes; how truly great he was, and how truly low he made himself; by nature, how much higher than the higheft; by choice, how much lower than the loweft. Let this mind, says he, be in you, which was also in Chrift Jefus: 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 fervant, 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 crofs. And that their obedience might want no due encouragement, he fets before them, from the fame example, what glorious rewards they might promise themselves hereafter, for their prefent humility and lowlinefs of mind: for this abandoned, this crucified Jefus was not left to fink under the obfcurity of his voluntary humility; but, as a reward of his humility and sufferings, he was raised to the highest pitch of dignity and power: Wherefore, fays he, God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in