III. The whole creation of God hath a great concernment in God’s bringing forth Christ into the world, and his exaltation in his kingdom.
Hence in the psalm from whence these words are taken, all the principal parts of it are called on to triumph and rejoice therein. The earth, and the multitude of the isles, the heaven, and all people, are invited unto this congratulation; neither is any thing excluded but idols and idolaters, whose ruin God intends in the erection of the kingdom of Christ. And this they have ground for,—
1. Because in that work consisted the principal manifestation of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God. The whole creation is concerned in the glory of the Creator. In his exaltation doth their honour, interest, and blessedness consist. For this end were they made, that God might be glorified. The more that is done by any means, the more is their end attained.
Hence the very inanimate parts of it are introduced, by a rpocw- worolte, rejoicing, exulting, shouting, and clapping their hands, when the glory of God is manifested,—in all which their suitableness and propensity to their proper end is declared; as also, by their being burdened and groaning under such an estate and condition of things as doth any way eclipse the glory of their Maker. Now, in this work of bringing forth the first-born is the glory of God principally and eminently exalted; for the Lord Christ is the “brightness of his glory,” and in him all the treasures of wisdom, grace, and good- ness are laid up and hid.. Whatever God had any otherwise be- fore parcelled out, of and concerning his glory, by the works of his hands, is all, and altogether, and with an unspeakable addition of beauty and excellency, repeated in Christ.
VER. 6.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 167
2. The whole creation receiveth a real advancement and honour in the Son’s being made “ the first-born of every creature;”’ that is, the especial heir and lord of them all. Their being brought into a new dependence on the Lord Christ is their honour, and they are exalted by becoming his possession. For after that they had lost their first original dependence on God, and their respect unto him, grounded on his pronouncing of them exceeding good,—that is, such as became his wisdom and power to have made,—they fell under the power of the devil, who became prince of this world by sin. Herein consisted the vanity and debasement of the creature; which it was never willingly or of cts own accord subject unto. But God setting up the kingdom of Christ, and making him the first-born, the whole creation hath a right unto a new, glorious lord and master. And however any part of it be violently for a season detained under its old bondage, yet it hath grounds of an “earnest expectation” of a full and total deliverance into liberty, by virtue of this primogeniture of Christ Jesus.
3. Angels and men, the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the principal parts of the creation, on whom God hath in an especial manner stamped his own likeness and image, are hereby made par- takers of such inestimable benefits as indispensably call for rejoicing in a way of thankfulness and gratitude. This the whole gospel de- clares, and therefore it needs not our particular improvement in this
lace. i And if this be the duty of the whole creation, it is easy to discern in what a special manner it is incumbent on them that believe, whose benefit, advantage, and glory, were principally intended in this whole work of God. Should they be found wanting in this duty, God “might, as of old, call heaven and earth to witness against them. Yea, thankfulness to God for the bringing forth of the first-born into the world is the sum and substance of all that obedience which God requires at the hands of believers.
IV. The command of God is the ground and reason of all reli- gious worship. ‘The angels are to worship the Lord Christ, the mediator; and the ground of their so doing is God’s command. He saith, “ Worship him, all ye angels.”
Now the command of God is twofold:—1. Formal and vocal, when God gives out a law or precept unto any creature super- added to the law of its creation. Such was the command given out unto our first parents in the garden concerning the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil;” and such were all the laws, precepts, and institutions which he afterwards gave unto his church, with those which to this day continue asthe rule and reason of their obedience. 2. Real and interpretative, consisting in an impression of the mind and will of God upon the nature of his creatures, with respect unto
168 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. I.
that obedience which their state, condition, and dependence on him requireth. The very nature of an intellectual creature, made for the glory of God, and placed in a moral dependence upon him and sub- jection unto him, hath in it the force of a command, as to the wor- ship and service that God requireth at their hands. But this law in man being blotted, weakened, impaired, through sin, God hath in mercy unto us collected, drawn forth, and disposed all the directions and commands of it in vocal formal precepts recorded in his word; whereunto he hath superadded sundry new commands in the insti- tutions of his worship. With angels it is otherwise. The ingrafted law of their creation, requiring of them the worship of God and obedience to his whole will, is kept and preserved entire; so that they have no need to have it repeated and expressed in vocal formal com- mands. And by virtue of this law were they obliged to constant and everlasting worship of the eternal Son of God, as being created and upheld in a universal dependence upon him. But now when God brings forth his Son into the world, and placeth him in a new con- dition, of being incarnate, and becoming so the head of his church, there is a new modisication of the worship that is due to him brought in, and a new respect unto things, not considered in the first crea- tion. With reference hereunto God gives a new command unto the angels, for that peculiar kind of worship and honour which is due unto him in that state and condition which he had taken upon him- self.