VER. 11-13.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 425
the “name” of God, and then how itis or was “declared” by Jesus Christ.
This expression, the “name of God,” is variously used. Sometimes it denotes the being of God, God himself; sometimes his attributes, his excellencies or divine perfections, some one or more of them. As it is proposed unto sinners as an object for their faith, trust, and love, it denotes in an especial manner his love, grace, and goodness, —that in himself he is good, gracious, and merciful, Isa. 1.10.' And
withal it intimates what God requires of them towards whom he is ‘so good and gracious. This name of God is unknown to men by nature; so is the way and means whereby he will communicate his goodness and grace unto them. And this is the name of God here intended, which the Lord Jesus “ manifested unto the men given him out of the world,” John xvii. 6; which is the same with his declaring the Father, whom “no man hath seen at any time,” Johni. 18. This is that name of God which the Lord Jesus Christ had experience of in his sufferings, and the manifestation whereof unto his brethren he had procured thereby.
Hereof he says in the psalm, 7228, “TI will declare it,”’—recount it in order, number the particulars that belong unto it, and so dis- tinctly and evidently make it known. ’Avayyeda, ‘I will make it known as a messenger, sent from thee and by thee’ And there are two ways whereby the Lord Christ declared this name of God: —1. In his own person; and that both before and after his suffer- ings: for although it be mentioned here as a work that ensued his death, yet is it not exclusive of his teachings before his suffering, because they also were built upon the supposition thereof. Thus in the days of his flesh, he instructed his disciples and preached the gospel in the synagogues of the Jews and in the temple, declaring the name of God unto them. So also after his resurrection he con- ferred with his apostles about the kingdom of God, Actsi. 2. By his Spirit; and that both in the effusion of it upon his disciples, enabling them personally to preach the gospel unto the men of their own generation, and in the inspiration of some of them, en- abling them to commit the truth unto writing for the instruction of the elect unto the end of the world. And herein doth the apostle, according unto his wonted manner, not only confirm what he had before delivered, but make way for what he had further to instruct the Hebrews in, namely, the prophetical office of Christ, as he is the great revealer of the will of God and teacher of the church; which he professedly insists upon in the pesthning of the next chapter.
In the second part of this first testimony is declared further:— 1. What Christ will moreover do: He will “sing praises unto God;” and, 2. Where he will doit: “In the midst of the congregation.” The
426 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. II.
expression of both these is accommodated unto the declaration of God’s name and of praising him in the temple. 1. The singing of hymns of praise unto God in the great congregation was then a principal part of his worship. And in the first expression two things are observable:—(1.) What Christ undertakes to do; and that is, to praise God. Now this is only exegetical of what went before. He would praise God by declaring his name. There is no way whereby the praise of God may be celebrated like that of declaring his grace, goodness, and love unto men; whereby they may be won to believe — and trust in him, whence glory redounds unto him. (2.) The cheer- fulness and alacrity of the spirit of Christ in this work. He would do it as with joy and singing, with such a frame of heart as was required in them who were to sing the praises of God in the great assemblies in the temple. 2. Where would he do this? 92 7)n3, “in the midst of the congregation,”’—“ the great congregation,” as he calls it, verse 23; that is, the great assembly of the people in the temple. And this was a type of the whole church of the elect under the new testament. The Lord Christ, in his own person, by his Spirit in his apostles, by his word, and by all his messengers unto the end of the world, setting forth the love, grace, goodness, and mercy of God in him the mediator, sets forth the praise of God in the midst of the congregation. I shall only add, that whereas sing- ing of hymns unto God was an especial part of the instituted wor- ship under the old testament, to whose-use these expressions are accommodated, it is evident that the Lord Christ hath eminently set forth this praise of God in his institution of worship under the new testament, wherein God will ever be glorified and praised. This was that which the Lord Christ engaged to do upon the issue of his sufferings; and we may propose it unto our example and instruc- tion, namely,—
V. That which was principally in the heart of Christ upon his sufferings, was to declare and manifest the love, grace, and good-will of God unto men, that they might come to an acquaintance with him and to acceptance before him.