to fulfil. This was "the business to which his heavenly Father had called him" at this time; and it was the delight of his soul to execute it: nor was he responsible to his earthly parents for overlooking on this occasion that attention to their feelings, which, in less urgent circumstances, he would have gladly shewn.]

2. That she, from observing his early habits, must have known it

[Mary, knowing from whence Jesus was, and what signal protection his heavenly Father had hitherto afforded him, and how great an office he was destined to execute, should have felt no fears for his safety, since he could not but be secure under his Father's care, though withdrawn from her's. Nor should she have doubted where to find him; since he had manifested on all occasions such delight in his Father's house,b and in his Father's work. This appeal to her knowledge of him, though it does not open to us any particulars of his life, gives us an important insight into the general tenor of it: and though she could not at the time apprehend his meaning, we, with the additional light that we enjoy, see the full force of his interrogations.]

To obviate any misconstruction of our Lord's conduct, and to prevent it from being erroneously drawn into a precedent for others, the Evangelist proceeds to record II. His dutifulness to his parents

If fuller information had been given us respecting the behaviour of Christ from his earliest infancy to the age of thirty, we should have been enabled to illustrate this part of our subject in the most pleasing and satisfactory manner. But as God has been pleased to draw a vail over the whole of that period, it would be absurd for us to launch out into the boundless regions of conjecture. In knowing that " he was subject to his parents," we know sufficient: we know that a reverence for their persons, an obedience to their authority, a zeal in testifying his love to them, and whatever else is comprehended in the whole circle of filial duty, was manifested by him without intermission and without alloy. Satisfied with this, we shall leave the matter where God has left it, and dismiss this part of our subject without any further attempt to elucidate and explain it.

b Ἐν τοῖς τε πατρός με.

We shall conclude with an ADDRESS

1. To parents

[Though the conduct of Jesus is the more immediate subject of our present enquiry, yet is it so involved in this instance with the conduct of his parents, that we should be inexcusable if we did not embrace this opportunity of addressing ourselves to you. His parents carried him up with them at twelve years of age, that he might be early initiated into those mysteries of religion which it is the duty and happiness of all to be acquainted with. Are you shewing the same attention to the spiritual welfare of your children? We ask not whether, if you had lost a child, and knew not where it was, you would seek after it with anxiety? We readily give you credit for all the natural feelings; and we rejoice that, in the absence of a higher principle, these are left in such strength to regulate your conduct. But you have far more important duties to your children than the care of their mere temporal welfare: their souls are committed to you; and you will be responsible for them in the day of judgment exactly as your minister will be for your souls. Say then before God, whether you make it your chief care to bring them to God? and whether your whole behaviour towards them be suited to this end? You complain perhaps of your children's frowardness: but enquire whether it be not owing to your inattention or mismanagement? If so, consider how Eli's negligence in this respect was punished by God: and beware lest your children say to you, as Hophni and Phinehas may to him, in the day of judgment, "It was owing to you, in part, that I perished." May God impress this solemn thought upon the minds of all, and especially of those who profess godliness; that every one, like Abraham, may seek the best interests of his household, and say with Joshua," As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"]

2. To young people

[It is not to little children alone that this subject is applicable, but to all who are under the authority of parents or governors, whatever be their age or condition in life.

Persons in early life are ready to think that it will be time enough at some future period to serve the Lord: hence they defer the work of religion from infancy to youth, from youth to manhood, from manhood to middle life, or to old age; till at last they die in ignorance and sin. O remember, you cannot seek the Lord too early, or too earnestly.

• His sons, his daughter in law, and himself, with thousands of Israelites were consigned to death: and the ark of God given up into the enemies hands, 1 Sam. iv. 1—23.

d Gen. xviii. 19,

e Josh. xxiv. 15.

But in these days of insubordination it is but necessary that we remind you also of your duty to your parents and governors. Think not that you are at liberty to be wilful, froward, disobedient: no; the stubborn child was ordered by God himself to be stoned to death: and if in this world God marked so awfully the wickedness of disobedient children, doubtless God will visit it with far more tremendous judgments in the world to come.

You must resemble Jesus in both parts of his character, combining piety towards God with dutifulness towards man. Neither of these will avail you any thing if separated from the other: but their united exercise will, if we may so speak, conciliate the favour both of God and man."]

3. To all present

[There is one circumstance in our Lord's conduct deserving of universal attention. He acted under a conviction that his duty to God was paramount to every other consideration: and his answer to his mother strongly conveys this idea. Let us apply it to ourselves. If our parents or governors encourage our religious impressions, it is well: let us be thankful for their aid. But if they set themselves against religion, then let us remember that we have a heavenly Father, whose house we must frequent, and whose business we must transact. And if the commands of God and of man come in opposition to each other, then must we obey God rather than man: yea, we must hate both father, and mother, and our own lives also in comparison of Christ.i We must be prepa red to sacrifice all for Christ; but "we must give a reason of our conduct with meekness and fear."]

f Deut. xxi. 18-21. i Luke xiv. 26.

g Ver. 52.

h Acts v. 29.

k 1 Pet. iii. 15.

DLI. CHRIST'S HUMILIATION.

which was also in

Phil. ii. 5-8. Let the same mind be in you, 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 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 unregenerate 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 certain degree, even after the evil of it is discerned, and after its allowed dominion has ceased. Doubtless there were many pious Christians in the Philippian church, as well as Timothy: yet St. Paul complained 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 cautioned them in a most affectionate manner; 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 themselves;" 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.

First, 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 God." He assumed to himself all the titles, attributes, and perfections of the Deity. He claimed and exercised all the divine prerogatives. He performed by his own power all the works which are ever ascribed to God. And in all this he was guilty of no presumption; because he was truly 'One with the Father, in glory equal, in majesty coeternal.> To understand the apostle as saying, that Christ, while he was only a mere man, did not think of the robbery of being equal with God, is to represent him as, commending a creature for his humility in not aspiring to an equality with God; a greater absurdity than which could not enter into the human mind. As Christ, when he took upon himself "the form of a servant," became really man, so when, previous to his incarnation, he was "in the form of God," he was really and truly God. To this the scriptures bear ample testimony: they declare that before he was "a Child born and a Son given, he was the migthy God," even " God over all, blessed for ever." And therefore, when he became incarnate, he was "God, manifest in the flesh;" he was "Emmanuel, God with

us."

But this glory he, in infinite condescension, laid aside. Not that he ceased to be God; but that he veiled his Deity in human flesh. As, previous to his descent from mount Tabor, he divested himself of those robes of majesty wherewith he was then arrayed; so, for the purpose of sojourning among men, he emptied himself of all his divine splendor, either hiding it altogether from human eyes, or only suffering a ray of it occasionally to beam forth for the instruction of his disciples; that, while others saw him but as a common man, they might "behold his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father." He did not, however, assume our nature in its primæ val state, while yet it bore the image of its Maker; but in its fallen state, encompassed with infirmities: "he was made

a The Greek is not irov Tew as in John v. 18, but in which means as. This is unanswerably shewn by the references which Dr. Whitby on the place has made to passages in the Septuagint, where it is so translated. Ο εκένωσε ἑαυτὸν.