{2dly,) By the ministry of angels. Upon his undertaking to be the mediator for the church -with God, the angels were in a peculiar manner put into dependence on him, even as he became a new and immediate head unto the whole creation. This belonged unto that especial glory which he had with the Father " before the world was," whereof we have treated before. All things were to be anew gathered into a head in him, " both which are in heaven, and which are on earth," Eph. i. 10. And he became "the first-bom of every crea- ture," Col. i. 15, the Lord and proprietor of them. Hence the whole ministry of angels was subordinate unto him; and whatever instruction was thereby given unto the church in the mind and will of God, it was immediately from him, as the great prophet of the church.
(Sdly,) By sending his Holy Spirit to inspire, act, and guide the prophets, by whom God would reveal himself God spake unto them by the " mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began," Luke i. 70. But it was the Spirit of Christ that was in them that spake by them, that revealed the things which con- cerned the redemption and salvation of the church, 1 Peter i. 11, 12. And by this Spirit he himself preached unto those that were dis- obedient in the days of Noah, who are now in prison for their dis-
90 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
obedience, 1 Peter iii. 19, 20. For he was so the prophet of the church always as to tender manifold instructions unto the perishing, unbelieving world. Hence is he said to lighten " every man that Cometh into the world," John i. 9, by one way or other communi- cating to them some notices of God and his will; for his light shineth in, or irradiates darkness itself — that darkness which is coins on the minds of men by sin — though the " darkness comprehend it not," verse 5.
{^thly,) By the ministry of holy men, acted and moved by his Spirit. So he gave forth the word that was written for an everlasting nde of faith and obedience unto the church.
Thus were the office and work of instructing and illuminating of the church on his hand alone from the beginning, and thus were they by him discharged. This was not a work for him who was no more but a man. His human nature had no existence until the fulness of time, the latter days, and therefore could effect or operate nothing before. And whereas the apostle distinguisheth between the speaking of God in the Son and his speaking in the prophets, opposing the one to the other, (Heb i. 1, 2,) he doth it with respect unto his personal ministry unto the Church of the Jews, and not with respect unto his being the peculiar fountain of life and light inito the whole church in all ages.
It is true, we have under the Gospel many unspeakable advantages from the prophetical office of Christ, above what they enjoyed under the Old Testament ; but he was the prophet of the church equally in all ages. Only he hath given out the knowledge of the mind of God in different degxees and measures ; that which was most perfect being for many reasons reserved unto the times of the Gospel ; the sum whereof is, that God designed him unto a pre-eminence above all in his own personal ministry.
If any shall now inquire how the Lord Christ could be the prophet of the church before he took our nature on him and dwelt among us ; I shall also ask how they suppose him to be the prophet of the church now he hath left the world and is gone to heaven, so as that we neither see him nor hear him any more ? If they shall say that he is so by his Spirit, his Word, and the ministry which he hath ordained; I say, so was he the prophet of the church before his incarnation also. To confine the offices of Christ, as unto then- virtue, power and efficacy, unto the times of the Gospel only, is utterly to evacuate the first promise, with the covenant of grace founded thereon. And their minds are secretly influenced by a disbelief of his divine person, who suppose that the respect of the church unto Christ, in faith, love, trust, and instruction, commenceth from the date of his incarnation.
THE DIVINE MIND COMPKEHENDED ONLY BY CHRIST. 91
[2.] The full comprehension of the mmd and will of God, of the whole divine counsel concerning his glory in the sanctifi cation and salvation of the church, could not at once reside in the mind of any- mere creature. Yet was this necessary unto him who was to be the prophet of the church ; that is, the fountain of truth, life, and know- ledge unto it. Hence is his name " Wonderful, Counsellor," as he who was participant of all the eternal counsels of God ; whereon in him as incarnate all the treasures of divine wisdom and knowledge were hid. Col. ii. 3. In him this could be alone, in whom was life, and " the life was the light of men," John i. 4. God did reveal his mind and will by angels and men. But as he did it at sundiy times, so he did it by several parts, or various parcels — not only as the church was fit to receive it, but as they were able to communicate it. The whole of the divine counsels could not be comprehended, and so not declared, by any of them. Hence the angels themselves — not- withstanding their residence in the presence of God, beholding his face, and all the glorious messages wherein they were employed — learned more of his mind after the personal ministry of Christ, and the revelation of the mysteries of his counsel therein, than ever they knew before, Eph. iii. S, 9, 11; 1 Peter i. 12. And on the account of their imperfection in the comprehension of liis counsels, it is said that " he charged his angels with folly," Job iv. 18. And the best of the prophets not only received divine truth by parcels, but comprehended not the depths of the revelations made unto them, 1 Peter i. 11, 12.