2. The design of God was that the whole creation should be put in subjection to the Word incarnate — not only this lower world, wherein man is concerned, but the upper world also. Our Redeemer, who hath bought us, hath an interest in all things that may concern us, that tliey may be disposed of to his own glory and our good and advantage. All are at the making and at the disposal of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Col. I. IG,] christ the creator of all things. 439
Therefore it is said, Heb. ii. 10, ' For whom are all things, and by whom are all things.' God that frameth all things ordereth all things to their proper end. His works are many, and some are more excel- lent and glorious than others ; and one of the chief of them is the salvation of man by Jesus Christ. Therefore all things are subordi- nated thereunto, to the glory of the Mediator by whom this is accom- plished : 1 Cor. viii. 6, ' But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him ; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.'
Secondly, Why the creation of angels is so particularly and expressly mentioned ? I answer — For three reasons : —
1. To show the glory and majesty of the Eedeemer. The angels are said to ' excel in strength,' Ps. ciii. 20, and elsewhere they are called ' mighty angels.' This potency they have from their Creator, who giveth power and strength to all his creatures as it pleases him. Their strength may be conceived by that instance, that one angel in a night slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand in Sennacherib's camp. Now, these potent creatures are infinitely inferior to our Eedeemer, by whom and for whom they were made. Though they are the most excellent of all the creatures, yet they are his subjects and ministers, at his beck and command, both by the law of their creation, as Christ is God, and also by the Father's donation, as he is Mediator and God incarnate : 1 Pet. iii. 25, ' He is set down on the right hand of God ; angels, authorities, and powers being made subject to him.' And again, Eph. i. 21, ' He hath set him far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come.' They have a great name, but Christ hath ' a more excellent name than they,' Heb. i. 4, for they are all bound to worship him, ver. 6, and serve him, for he employeth them for the defence and comfort of the meanest of his people. They are subject not only to God, but to Christ, or God in- carnate. Look, as it is the glory of earthly kings to command mighty and powerful subjects — (' Aj'e not my princes altogether kings?' Isa. x. 8, that so many princes held under him as their sovereign and served him as their commander ; and when God speaks of the Assyrian he calleth him ' a king of princes,' Hosea viii. 10, namely, as he had many kings subject and tributary to him) — so is this the majesty of our Eedeemer, that he hath these powerful creatures, the mighty angels, in his train and retinue. These heavenly hosts make up a part of that army which is commanded by the Captain of our salvation.
2. This is mentioned to obviate the errors of that age. Both the Jews and the Gentiles had a high opinion of spirits and angels, as God's ministers and messengers ; for he doth not always immediately administer the affairs of mankind. Now, as they were right in the main as to their service, so they added much of curiosity and super- stition to the doctrine of angels, and by their vain speculations infected the minds of many in the Christian church, who were but newly come out from among them, insomuch that they fell to the worshipping of angels as mediators to God ; as the apostle intimateth, Col. ii. 18. Now, because this was to the disparagement of Christ, the apostles did set themselves to check this curiosity of dogmatising about angels, and
440 CHRIST THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS. [SeR. III.
the superstition or idolatry of angel-worship thence growing apace. Now this they did by asserting the dignity of Christ's person and office. As Paul, Col. ii., and the author to the Hebrews, chapters i., ii., iii., ' Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.' It is true, Christ was sent from heaven as the angels are, and he came in a despicable way ot appearance to promote our salvation and recovery, as they assumed bodies suitable to their mes- sage ; yet his superiority and pre-eminence above the angels is clear and manifest. He was not only equal to them, but far above them, Heb. i. 3. Seven things are observable in that verse : —