trast; and feel the meanness and littleness of pride. The Scriptures, then, in order to hide pride from man, bring home this very motive, with overwhelming power, in the words before us. Here was one, whose exalted majesty exceeds all finite comprehension;-who was "in the form of God" from all eternity; "of one substance with the Father;"" the brightness of his glory," and the partner of his throne. In this high estate, he thought it not robbery to be equal with God." He thought it no derogation from the eternal Father's honour, to confess himself his fellow, and his like; that "such as the Father is, such is the Son"-" the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal."

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Such was the being who, in pity to lost sinners," made himself of no reputation." He emptied himself—for so the expression may be taken-he emptied himself of his divine glories; threw them all aside; and came down to visit us, in great humility. Being "made in the likeness of men," he did not assume even the dignity of earthly state. He had not large possessions. He was not attended by a train of followers. He did not fare sumptuously every day, and live delicately, like those in kings' houses. The name of Jesus was not enrolled with heroes and statesmen, with the honourable of the earth, and the idols of the world. No. Far otherwise was the humble

condition of the Son of Man.

:

His situation was low his life was obscure; the path he trod was far removed from all the haunts of human greatness. He came to preach the gospel to the poor; and with the poor he cast in his lot. He was born in the midst of want and indigence. His youth was passed in all the hardships of a low condition. During the whole of his afflicted life, he was the child of poverty; with no provision, but the bounty of Heaven; dependant on others, for his daily bread; without any abode, which he could call his own, or where he could lay his head. Thus did he take upon him, as my text expresses it, "the form of a servant."

Of this great humility we have a remarkable exhibition, in the 13th chapter of St. John's Gospel. "He riseth from supper," saith the apostle, "and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. After that, he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." The use to which our Lord would turn this mysterious action, he has, himself, expressly declared. It was to mortify all pride within us. "If I, your Lord and master, have washed your feet, ye, also, ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do, as I have done to you."

But there was a still lower depth, to which the Son of God descended, "even the death of the cross." It was not to death, in its ordinary array of trials and of sufferings, that the Lord of life submitted. The last conflict with the king of terrors, is often accompanied with felt support, and strong consolation. Tender care, and sympathizing friends-a thousand soothing circumstances, may lighten the clouds which overhang the soul, when passing through the valley of the shadow of death. Above all, the presence of an Almighty Saviour - the assurance of pardon, through an atoning sacrifice-the living sense that we are at peace with God, and the blessed hope of immortality;-these can cheer the Christian, amidst the cold damps of death, and teach his fainting heart to cry, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

But what Christ has conquered for his people, he submitted to himself, in all its rigour, and all its horrors. His death was wholly devoid of every kind of comfort. Unlike our quiet death-beds, all, in his case, was violent, painful, ignominious. We have, when dying, tender relations, and anxious friends, around us. But his lovers and friends were put far from him, and his acquaintance hid out of his sight. When we feel pain, some kind hand, or healing medicine, is applied, to mitigate

the anguish. But when he cried, there was none to hear him; when he complained, there was no man to pity him. "Fat bulls of Basan"-inhuman persecutors, in comparison of whom, the wild beasts are merciful-encompassed the Lamb of God, "on every side." And when the blessed

Jesus lifted up his eyes to the everlasting hillswhen he looked to God, in his sore distress-when he fled, for refuge, to that bosom, in which he had dwelt from all eternity-behold! the heavens were become iron, and were clothed with blackness. "It pleased the Lord to bruise him," and to "put him to grief." His Father had delivered him into the hand of his enemies; and his God had forsaken him.

Such, my

Such was the death of Christ. brethren, the sacrifice offered for your sins. Such was the humiliation of him who was "in the form of God," and "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Before this object, when realized to the mind-before a believing view of Christ crucified, the high looks of the lofty are brought low, and the very root of pride withers in the heart. For let us consider a moment, what was it which rendered this great sacrifice needful? What called for this infinite price and ransom? Was it not that, by nature, we are withered branches, cut off from the tree of life, from hope,

from happiness, and from God? Yes: all our expectations for eternity, depend, not on our own deservings, but upon mercy freely extended to the lost. We can draw near to God, only through the blood of Jesus. Nothing is properly our own, but sin. We have no hope, but that of forgiveness, which we do not deserve; no plea to offer, but that Christ has died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Who, then, that feels these things, can, with any consistency, be proud?

Again: professing to follow the Lord Jesus, as our example, shall we withstand the lesson, which this overwhelming instance of his humility teaches? Is the servant above his Lord? Or can we be his disciples, if we refuse to take up our cross, and follow him? Shall we boast of the few inches, which raise us higher than our fellow worms, when he who called us into being, and who makes the sun to rise, became, for our sakes, the servant of his own creatures, the reproach of his own people, the scorn and derision of his own world; and now calls us to follow in his lowly footsteps, to tread that narrow path of meekness and humility, which alone conducts to the hidden glories of his kingdom?

The great question for each of us, individually, to put to our own conscience, is this: what advantage will accrue to me, from that divine com