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VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 97
And this, with submission to better judgments, do I conceive to be the design of the apostle in this his description of the person of Jesus Christ. It pleased the Holy Ghost herein to use these terms and expressions, to mind the Hebrews how they were of old in- structed, though obscurely, in the things now actually exhibited unto them, and that nothing was now preached or declared but what in their typical institutions they had before given their assent unto.
We have been somewhat long in our explication of this descrip- tion of the person of the Son of God; yet, as we suppose, not any longer than the nature of the things treated of and the manner of their expression necessarily required us to be. We shall therefore here stay a while, before we proceed to the ensuing words of this verse, and take some observations, from what hath been spoken for our direction and refreshment in our passage.
I. All the glorious perfections of the nature of God do be- long unto and dwell in the person of the Son. Were it not so, he could not gloriously represent unto us the person of the Father; nor by the contemplation of him could we be led to an acquaintance with the person of the Father. This the apostle here teacheth us, as in the explication of the words we have manifested. Now, because the confirmation of this allusion depends on the proofs and testi- monies given of and unto the divine nature of Christ, which I have elsewhere largely insisted on and vindicated from exceptions, I shall not here resume that task, especially considering that the same truth will again occur unto us.
Il. The whole manifestation of the nature of God unto us, and all communications of grace, are immediately by and through the person of the Son. He represents him unto us; and through him is every thing that is communicated unto us from the fulness of the Deity conveyed.
There are sundry signal instances wherein God reveals himself, and communicates from his own infinite fulness unto his creatures, and in all of them he doth it immediately by the Son:—1. In the creation of all things; 2. In their providential rule and disposal;
.8. In the revelation of his will and institution of ordinances; 4, In
the communication of his Spirit and grace: in none of which is the person of the Father any otherwise immediately represented unto us than in and by the person of the Son.
1. In the creation of all things, God both gave them their being and imparted unto them of his goodness, and manifested his nature unto those that were capable of a holy apprehension of it. Now, all this God did immediately by the Son; not as a subordinate in- strument, but as the principal efficient, being his own power and wisdom. This we have manifested in our explication of the last words of the verse foregoing. In express testimony hereunto, see
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98 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. T.
John i. 3; Col. 1.16; 1 Cor. vii. 6. The Son, as the power and wisdom of the Father, made all things; so that in that work the glory of the Father shines forth in him, and no otherwise. By him was there a communication of being, goodness, and existence unto the creation.
2. In the providential rule and disposal of all things created, God further manifests himself unto his creatures, and further communi- cates of his goodness unto them. That this also is done in and by the Son, we shall further evidence in the explication of the next words of this verse.
3. The matter is yet more plain as to the revelation of his will, and the institution of ordinances from first to last. It is granted
that after the entrance of sin, God did not graciously reveal nor ~ communicate himself unto any of his creatures but by his Son. This might fully be manifested by a consideration of the first promise, the foundation of all future revelations and institutions, with an induction of all ensuing instances. But whereas all revelations and institutions springing from the first promise are completed and finished in the gospel, it may suffice to show that what we assert is true with pecu- liar reference thereunto. The testimonies given unto it are innu- merable. This is the substance and end of the gospel:—to reveal the Father by and in the Son unto us; to declare that through him alone we can be made partakers of his grace and goodness, and that no other way we can have either acquaintance or communion with him. See John i. 18. The whole end of the gospel is to give us “the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” 2 Cor. iv. 6; that is, the glory of the invisible God, whom none hath seen at any time, 1 Tim. vi. 16; 1 John iv. 12. That is to be communicated unto us. But how is this to be done? absolutely and immediately, as it is the glory of the Father? No, but as it “shines forth in the face of Jesus Christ,” or as it is in his person manifested and represented unto us; for he is, as the same apostle says in the same place, 2 Cor. iv. 4, “the image of God.” And herein also, as to the communication of grace and the Spirit, the Scripture is express, and believers are daily instructed in it. See Col. i 19; Johni. 16; especially 1 John v. 11,14. Now, the grounds of this order of things lie,—