12. To answer all the ends of this oiew Head of God's re-collected family, all power in heaven and earth, all fulness of grace and glory, is committed unto him. There is no communication from God, no act of rule towards this family, no supply of virtue, power, grace, or goodness unto angels or men, but what is immediately from this new head whereinto they are gathered. In him they all consist, on him do they depend, unto him are they subject; in their relation unto him doth their peace, union, and agreement among themselves consist. TMs is the recapitulation of all things intended by the apostle.
13. It is tiiie that he acts distinctly and variously towards the two parts of the re-collected family of angels and men, according as their different states and conditions do require. For, — 1. We had need of a reparation by redemption and grace, which the angels had not. 2. Angels were capable of immediate confirmation in glory, which we are not, until we come to heaven. Therefore, — 1. He assumed our nature that it might be repaired, which he did not [by] the nature of the angels. 2. He gives us union unto himself by his Spirit, which exalts us into a dignity and honour meet for fellowship with them in the same family.
This is a brief account of the mysterious work of divine wisdom in the recapitulation of all things in Jesus Christ ; and herein is he transcendently glorious, or his glory herein is far above our compre- hension ; yet some things may be observed, to direct us in the view and contemplation of it. As, —
1. He alone was a meet and capable subject of it. He alone could bear the weight of this glory. No mere creature in heaven or earth was meet to be thus made the head of the whole new creation of God. In none of them could all things consist. None of them was meet to be thus in the place of God, to have all things depend upon him, and be put in subjection unto him; so as that there should be no com- munication between God and the creation but by and through him
872 THE GLORY OF CHRIST
alone. Wherefore, when the Holy Ghost assigns this glory unto him, he so describes him as that we may discern his singular meetness for it ; as, that he is " the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, upholding all things by the word of his power," Heb. i. 3 ; — that he is " the image of the invisible God, the first-bom of every creature, by whom all things were created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers ; all things were created by him, and for him ; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist," Col. i. 15-17. Such a one alone, and no other, was meet to bear and uphold this glory. And the glory of his person is such, as that it is the blessedness of all creatures to centre in this glory of his office.
2. This is that glory which God designed unto his only Son incar- nate, and it gives us a little view into the glory of that mystery, the wondeiful eternal design of God to glorify himself in the incarnation of Christ. God would have his eternal, his only-begotten Son to be incarnate, to take our nature on him, — ^to be made man. What is his design in this incomprehensible work of his wisdom, love, and power ? Indeed, in the first place, it was for the redemption of the church, by the sacrifice of himself, and other acts of his mediation. But there is that which is more general and comprehensive, and wherein all the concerns of the glory of God do centre. And this was, that he might " gather all things into one " in him ; — that the whole creation, espe- cially that which was to be eternally blessed, should have a new head given unto it, for its sustentation, preservation, order, honour, and safety. All springs are in him, and all streams are unto him, and in and by him unto God. Who can express the divine beauty, order, and harmony of all tilings that are in this, their recapitulation in Christ ? The union and communion between angels and men, — the order of the whole family in heaven and earth, — the communication of life, grace, power, mercy, and consolation to the church, — the rule and disposal of all things unto the glory of God, — do all depend hereon. This glory God designed unto his Son incarnate; and it was the greatest, the highest that could be communicated unto him. For, as the apostle observes, all things are put in subjection unto him, he only excepted who doth so make them subject; that is, God the Father, 1 Cor. xv. 27.
There is no contemplation of the glory of Christ that ought more to affect the hearts of them that do believe with delight and joy, than this, of the recapitulation of all things in him. One view by faith of him in the place of God, as the supreme head of the whole creation, moving, acting, guiding, and disposing of it, will bring in spiritual refreshment unto a believing soul.