fhall find what Notion he had of him during his Abode on Earth.

The Question you fee is this: What Notion had St. Paul concerning Christ, or what Manner of Perfon did he conceive him to be, when he thus defcribed him, He being found in Fashion as a Man?

This will appear, by confidering, what is meant by the Fashion of a Man, and what could lead St. Paul to the Choice of that Expreffion; and likewife, by examining the Inftances of Humility given in the Text, the becoming obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross; and confidering, of what Sort of Perfon it can properly be faid, That he was humble in fubmitting to Death.

The Fashion of a Man denotes those proper and distinguishing Characters which belong to a Man as fuch, by which he is known to be what he is; that is, by which he is known to be a Man, and not any other Kind of Being: For whoever appears with any Marks or Characters which fhew him not to be a Man, or to be more than a Man, cannot be said to appear in the Fashion of a Man. Whoever will be at the Pains to confider St. Paul's Ufe of the original Word, and of the Verb derived from it, will find

this Account to be true: Thus, for Inftance, he tells us of Satan's transforming himself into an Angel of Light, and of his Ministers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ; in both Places using the Verb derived from the original Word in this Place; and in both Places his Meaning is, not that Satan became an Angel of Light, or his Minifters Apoftles of Chrift, but that Satan appeared in the Fashion of an Angel of Light, so as not to be known from an Angel of Light, and his Minifters in the Fashion of Apostles of Christ, so as not to be distinguished from them. By the Fashion of a Man then we can understand only the true and real Appearances of a Man.

Let us proceed then to confider, what led St. Paul to this Expreffion, and why he might not as well say, and, being Man, he humbled himself, as, being found in Fashion as a Man, he humbled himself: For this we muft look back to the firft Rife of the Apoftle's Argument. The Perfon here fpoken of, Jefus Chrift, was in the Form of God, but emptied himself: Emptied himfelf of what? Not of his Being or Nature, but of the Glories and Majefty belonging to him: Being in the Form of God, he laid

afide the Glories proper to the Form of God, and took upon him the Form of a Servant, in the Likeness of Men. Whatever he was as to Nature and Effence, when he was in the Form of God, that he continued to be ftill, when he became Man: But the O, the Glories of the Form of God, he laid down; and though he continued to be the same, yet, as to the ua, as to outward Dignity and Appearance, he was mere Man, being found, as the Apoftle fays, in Fashion as a Man. Had the Apostle conceived him, whilft here on Earth, to have been mere Man only, in what tolerable Sense could he say of him, being found in Fashion as a Man? for in what Fashion should a Man be found, but in the Fashion of a Man? What Need was there of this Limitation, that he was found a Man as to his Fashion, unless in Reality he was fomething more than Man? But if you confider the Man Jesus Christ to be the fame Perfon who was in the Form of God, and who, according to that Dignity of Nature, had a Right to appear in the Majefty and Glory of God, it is proper to ask, How did he appear on Earth? And thẹ Apostle's Words are a proper Answer to the Queftion, He was found in Fashion as a Man.

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The Apostle perhaps had another View in the Choice of this Expreffion, And being found in Fashion as a Man; with respect to what follows, he became obedient unto Death: For it might well feem ftrange, that any fhould attempt the Life of him, who was himself the Lord of Life. He became obedient unto Death; but how came he to be called to this Obedience? Who was the bold Man that laid Hands upon this God on Earth, and was vain enough to think of compaffing his Death? To which the Apostle gives this previous Answer: He was found in Fashion as a Man; as fuch, his Life was attempted, and he became obedient unto Death. This I take to be the Import of the Word found; he was found in Fashion as a Man, and became obedient unto Death: By whom was he found? By those who fought his Life, and called him to the Obedience, which he readily paid. If you allow the Apostle to have had this View, you must needs fuppofe that he thought him more than mortal Man, when he is at fome Pains to affign a Reason that could tempt any one to think him liable to Death. Had he been mere Man, there would have wanted none of this Caution and Circumfpection: The greatest

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greatest are liable to Death, and liable to fall by the Attempts of the lowest, who, if they are wicked enough, and defperate enough, have Ground fufficient to hope for Success, from the common Mortality, from which the greatest of the Sons of Men are not exempt.

Secondly, Let us examine the Inftances of Humility given in the Text, and confider to what Sort of Perfon they can be applied as fuch: He became obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Crofs. Death is the common End of all Mankind; and, if to die be Humility, in this Refpect all are equally humble. How comes Jefus Christ then to be diftinguished by this Inftance of Humility? How comes that to be Humility in him, which in every body elfe is Neceffity? If you speak of mere Man, you may as properly fay, that he is humble in having two Legs or two Arms, as in fubmitting to Death, fince both are equally the Course and Work of Nature: And yet you plainly fee, that the Apostle reckons it great Humility in Chrift, that he submitted to Death. What Manner of Perfon then was Christ Jefus, over whom Death had no Power, but through his own Consent and Submiffion ?

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